NFA’s Afcon dream hinges on Govt backing

The Namibian Football Association’s (NFA) hopes of co-hosting the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) depend on the government’s formal commitment to the bid.

NFA secretary general Mabos Vries last Wednesday said the government’s commitment includes making sure that the football stadiums are ready by 2028.

“We are engaging the government to give us a go-ahead. Without the government’s support, there’s no way that we can start implementing our intentions,” he said.

This comes after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) invited Namibia to join a regional bid to co-host the 2028 Afcon.

If successful, Namibia will co-host the 2028 Afcon with South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe, under a proposed four-country southern African bid.

Vries said the proposed Afcon bid should not be confused with operational funding for football.

“Let’s separate the two. The other one was funding for the operation of football, while this is a project on its own,” he said.

“It’s not a short-term project. It’s a medium- to long-term investment that needs to be made,” Vries said.

He said Namibia already meets several of CAF’s infrastructure requirements, with the country’s main challenge being the availability of a CAF-compliant stadium.

“Part of the requirements when it comes to infrastructure, we have the plus points. Our only struggle is to have a venue ready, a stadium ready by then, to ensure that we can take part in co-hosting the event,” Vries said.

He pointed to the government’s plans to renovate Independence Stadium as an indication that efforts are already underway to address the infrastructure gap.

“As you already know, the government is in the process of ensuring that Independence Stadium is revamped, so it’s part of the effort from the government’s side. But we still need a firm commitment from the government.”

The Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture this year set aside N$60 million for the upgrading of Independence Stadium, while N$23.6 million will support the construction and rehabilitation of sport facilities in various towns.

This also includes the development of a national high-performance centre at the University of Namibia.

Independent Patriots for Change shadow minister of sport Bertha Nghifikwa-Kambonde told The Namibian last week that the sudden funding cut for sport bodies has significant consequences for co-hosting Afcon, as consistent financial support is required for operations.

“Therefore, by withdrawing the financial support now, the government risks weakening Namibia’s proposed Afcon bid, as a result, harming the country’s sporting reputation,” she said.

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