MBABANE – Imagine the silence of the tunnel before a final.
Picture the weight of a trophy that does not just represent glory, but a total financial overhaul for an entire football club.
In just five 90-minute bursts of football, a local side could walk away with E3.23 million. Such figures are a rarity in local football, but the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has made it possible.
By bolstering club football and levelling the playing field, the continental football mother body has transformed what used to be a gamble at a loss for local sides into a rewarding venture. Traditionally, teams often accumulated debts and expenses that outweighed their tournament earnings.
As the eighth edition of the Ingwenyama Cup tournament is about to kick-off, its 32 participants have every reason to go out all guns blazing. The E5 million knockout competition, sponsored by the Sincephetelo Motor Vehicle Accidents Fund (SMVAF), offers far more than just the E1.450 million winner’s cheque.
There is a bargain on the table for the eventual champions after their five-game journey. As announced during Monday’s Last 32 draw, the title also still carries a ticket to the CAF Confederation Cup. This has been the standard for the past two seasons following the break of the EswatiniBank Cup, which previously held the continental rights.
The Ingwenyama Cup; currently held by reigning champions Royal Leopard; offers a guaranteed extra E1.780 million on top of the domestic prize. This amount is the US$100 000 participation fee paid by CAF to any club entering their competition.
Every qualifying team is guaranteed this boost and Nsingizini Hotspurs have already benefitted, with Leopard set to receive their share at the end of the campaign.
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