CAF inspection boosts chances of the venue hosting international football BFA aims for Category Three status ahead of Botswana’s 2028 AFCON bid Approval would ease the pressure on Francistown’s only certified stadium The long-awaited return of international football to the National Stadium may be closer than ever. This week, CAF inspectors visited Gaborone for a fresh evaluation of the National Stadium and the Lobatse Sports Complex. Their inspection has reignited hopes that the National Stadium...

Babitseng signals possible decisive action after NEC consultations BFA awaits acting CEO’s report before deciding next steps The Botswana Football Association (BFA) has finally spoken out about the growing crisis engulfing the Botswana Football League (BFL). BFA president Oabile Tariq Babitseng didn’t hold back his disappointment with the league’s leadership and shareholders. Babitseng made it clear that the association is deeply troubled by what’s unfolding within the country’s top football administration. He warned that once...

Preparations are well underway for the much-anticipated 2026 Independence Kids Run, set to take place on 26 September 2026 in the heart of Gaborone CBD. This event celebrates Botswana’s 60th Independence Anniversary. Following the tremendous success of the Absa Summer Kids Marathon in April 2026, which drew over 1,800 young participants from across the country, the enthusiasm for youth sports, healthy living, and community involvement is clearly growing. The Independence Kids Run aims to build...

When Team Botswana departed for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, expectations were lofty. The Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) had publicly set a goal of seven medals, fielding athletes across athletics, boxing, judo, lawn bowls, and swimming. Instead, the team returned home without a single medal, a first in years, and one of the most disappointing international showings in the nation’s sporting history. This medal drought did more than deflate hopes; it exposed unsettling...

As Botswana grapples with tightening fiscal pressures, the government has defended its decision to host the 2027 TAFISA World Congress, emphasizing that international sporting events should be viewed as strategic investments rather than mere expenses. Officials argue these events have the potential to generate sustained economic benefits. Responding to a parliamentary inquiry from Gamalete MP Boniface Mabeo, Acting Minister of Sport and Arts Lawrence Ookeditse confirmed that Botswana secured the rights to host the 30th...

For years, Botswana football has been caught in a cycle of fleeting ambition. Investors arrive with big promises, bankroll a handful of player salaries, chase quick success, and vanish when fortunes shift. What they often leave behind are unpaid debts, struggling clubs, and little to show for their efforts. But Botswana Football Association (BFA) president Tariq Babitseng believes Gaborone United owner Nicolas Zakhem has rewritten that script. At a time when the country faces a...