MBABANE-Nsingizini Hotspurs Ladies have been handed a clearer route towards continental glory after organisers scrapped the best-runner-up method for deciding semi-finalists.
The Eswatini champions will compete in Group B of the Confederation of African (CAF) Women’s Champions League/ COSAFA Qualifier Botswana 2026, which runs from August 20-29 in Gaborone, with a place at the continental finals at stake.
The major change concerns how teams progress from the group stage, potentially making Nsingizini’s route to the knockout phase more straightforward.
Eight clubs have been divided into two groups of four, with each team playing the others in a round-robin format. A win earns three points, while a draw is worth one.
Under the current regulations, the top two teams from each group advance directly to the semi-finals.
This represents a change from the previous approach, when the best runner-up was used to determine progression. The new system means Nsingizini will know that finishing in the top two of Group B is enough to secure a semi-final place, without having to depend on their record being compared with a runner-up from the other group.
Nsingizini have been drawn alongside two-time champions Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa, Costa do Sol of Mozambique and Malawi’s Silver Strikers.
Group A features hosts and defending champions Gaborone United, Zambia’s ZESCO Ndola Girls, Zimbabwean side Herentals Queens and Lesotho Defence Force.
Should two teams finish level on points, their head-to-head result will be the first tiebreaker. If that fails to separate them, goal difference across all group matches will be considered, followed by goals scored.
The regulations then turn to fair play points, based on disciplinary records, before a drawing of lots is used as the final measure. A yellow card carries one Fair Play point, while a red card carries two points.
For Nsingizini, the mathematics is therefore simple and that is to finish among the top two in Group B and they are through to the semi-finals.
Only the eventual winner of the COSAFA qualifier will secure a place at the CAF Women’s Champions League continental finals, making every group match crucial in Nsingizini’s bid to go all the way.
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