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President’s Corner

Who is Maclean Letshwiti?

Maclean Letshwiti is the President of Botswana Football Association (BFA), took office in 2016.  He serves in the FIFA Disciplinary Committee as well and the CAF Reforms Committee whose core mandate is to come up with best models that will aid good governance, competitiveness and the professionalism of African football. Upon realising Letshwiti’s capabilities FIFA  and CAF appointed him to those key committees, hardly a year after ascending to BFA Presidency.

He has been involved in football administration at club level as a young 20 year old. His involvement has helped him understand Botswana football and hence able to device the best foot forward for it at BFA level. He has never been directly active at BFA level until in 2016 when he was voted for. The main message during campaigns was reforming BFA to make sure it focuses on its core mandate of Development, National Teams, and Regulation. Over and above that he wanted to make sure there is investor confidence in football so that more money can be put into it. Lately companies have been injecting more money into football, and more are expected to do so.

Under his leadership thousands of boys and girls have been actively playing in youth leagues that are a brain child of his leadership. BFA regions and blocks are becoming more empowered under his leadership as he believes they are the drivers of development agenda. Four (4) Block offices are already running and are manned by block technical officers. FIFA are highly engaged in the whole process of making sure a strong development agenda is realised. Botswana is one of the first two countries in the world that is taking advantage of the refreshed FIFA Forward development program. The long awaited return of FA Cup will finally be over under his leadership as it will be launched soon.

The BFA President is generally  known for turning poorly performing companies into profit making entities.

In summary Letshwiti believes that many can make a living out of football and Botswana should be exporting more talent to bigger leagues. That can only be achieved when BFA focuses on it’s core mandate and also builds investor confidence in the game. That is why under his leadership he is moving to make sure Botswana clubs comply with Club Licensing requirements that have been in place since 2012 but were never implemented.

News

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.

 

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