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Senior National Women’s team make passionate plea as they prepare for AWCON qualifiers

Apr 9, 2021

The Botswana women senior national football team has called on the nation to rally behind them as they open their year with a series of camps and friendlies that will see them go head-to-head with our neighbors, Namibia in the first round of the Africa Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) qualifiers in June 2021.

Despite the prevailing challenges of no footballing action in the country courtesy of the Covid-19 pandemic, the ladies are upbeat and oozing with confidence that they will triumph in all their set quests. Currently in camp, women’s senior team have rigorously been preparing well as they look to gain more positives against their opponents.

Captain Otlhagile (17) taking a breather during training

Team captain, Bonang ‘Bebeto’ Otlhagile says the mood in their camp is high as every player is yearning and armed with a desire to represent their country and do well particularly with regards to the forthcoming encounter against Banyana Banyana of South Africa this coming Tuesday, April 13, 2021.

Bebeto noted that her teammates know what is at stake as they start their preparations for the looming AWCON, which will be held in Morocco next year, 2022.

“Most of us have been training on our own, in our own spaces because of covid-19. We have missed football so much and we are happy now to be back in action, to do what we love and represent our beautiful country of Botswana. Just by wearing national colours is more than an honour for us. The girls are working extremely hard to gain fitness. The mood here in camp is at an all-time high, we want to use these friendlies to help us perfect our skills to qualify for AWCON. We must be ready by June when the round robin qualifiers start. We have built a family as a team, so it’s always nice when we meet and play for one another and the nation,” said Otlhagile.

Goalkeeper Boseja (green) in action

Meanwhile, The Mares goalkeeper, Sedilame Boseja expressed the same sentiments adding that despite the long dry spell of no footballing activity in the country, individually the girls have been training on their own. She pleaded with the nation to support the team as it embarks on a qualification quest towards the coveted African showpiece.

“I strongly believe individually we have been training, looking at how easily we understood the combinations brought by our technical team. We therefore ask the nation to rally behind us, to motivate and support the team wholeheartedly. Obviously, we want to be that generation that makes history by qualifying,” said Boseja.

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Botswana and Algeria Strengthen Sports Ties, with Football Development in Focus

Francistown, Botswana – The Honourable Minister of Sport & Arts, Mr. Jacob Kelebeng, recently welcomed a courtesy visit from Honourable Walid Sadi, Algeria’s Minister of Youth & Sports, along with His Excellency Ambassador Abdelmalek Tigharhar of Algeria.

The discussions centered on fostering collaboration between the two nations in sports development, with particular emphasis on Paralympics, football, boxing, and athletics. This engagement presents valuable opportunities for Botswana to benefit from Algeria’s advanced sporting infrastructure, training programs, and technical expertise.

As part of the visit, Honourable Sadi also met with BFA President Mr. Tariq Babitseng, alongside Minister Kelebeng. Discussions highlighted Algeria’s well-established football development structures, coaching programs, and talent identification pathways, which could serve as a benchmark for Botswana’s football growth strategy.

BFA President Emphasizes Football Development

Speaking on the significance of the engagement, BFA President Mr. Tariq Babitseng expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, noting that Botswana stands to gain valuable insights from Algeria’s football model.

“Football development remains a key priority for the BFA, and this engagement allows us to benchmark against one of Africa’s leading football nations. Algeria’s structured approach to grassroots football, coaching development, and high-performance training presents a great learning opportunity for Botswana. We are excited about the potential collaborations that will enhance our football structures and elevate the sport in the country,” said Babitseng.

The Minister was accompanied by Permanent Secretary Ms. Nancy Chengeta of the Ministry of Sport & Arts (MOSA), along with key sports leadership figures, including:

✅ BNSC Chairperson: Mr. Marumo Morule

✅ BNSC CEO: Mr. Tuelo D. Serufho

✅ BNSC Executive Management

✅ Botswana Football Association (BFA) Executives

✅ Various dignitaries and stakeholders

The BFA remains committed to building strategic international partnerships that contribute to the growth, professionalization, and long-term sustainability of football in Botswana.