The Namibia Football Association (NFA) has announced that the Brave Warriors will play their upcoming international home matches in Francistown, Botswana, following a strategic partnership with the Botswana Football Association (BFA).

This was confirmed by NFA Interim General Secretary, Cassius Moetie, in a media statement on Sunday. Moetie said the collaboration marks a new chapter for both nations and signals a strong commitment to football development in the region.

“We have been in close consultation with the BFA, and both associations are aligned in their vision to grow football in Namibia and Botswana,” Moetie said.

Echoing the sentiment, BFA General Secretary Mfolo Mfolo said they are pleased to offer the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium in Francistown as Namibia’s temporary home venue for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

“We are proud to support our neighbours and fellow members of the African football community. We will ensure that all logistics, security, medical support, and stadium preparations meet Fifa’s international standards,” Mfolo assured.

The decision comes after years of Namibia staging international home games in South Africa, with the cost reaching up to N$1.4 million per match, which includes rental, security, and other logistical costs. The shift to Botswana is seen as a cost-saving move and a practical solution.

Moetie added that the NFA is fully committed to rallying fan support for the Brave Warriors.

“We are excited about this initiative and will mobilise Namibians at home and across the region, especially in Botswana and South Africa, to travel to Francistown in large numbers to back the Brave Warriors as they face Malawi and São Tomé in September.”

While the partnership presents economic benefits, there are still questions regarding some logistical responsibilities. A source within the NFA disclosed that as part of the arrangement, Namibia may cover flight costs for visiting teams from Gaborone to Francistown, as well as local transport, accommodation, and meals.

When asked to confirm these details, Moetie said the association indeed, the NFA is proud to host its World Cup qualification home games against Malawi and Sao Tome in September in Francistown. “Yes, I can confirm that the decision to move our home game venue from South Africa to Botswana was driven by cost. Namibia, through the NFA, will be the host for the two qualification fixtures against Malawi and Sao Tome. Moreso, the Fifa regulations articulate that the home team assumes specific logistical arrangements for the warm hospitality relative to the visiting team. 

“Costs such as accommodation, meals, training fields, ground transport, security, amongst others, are the obligations the host is responsible for. 

“Having assessed the costs to play home games in South Africa and moving the Brave Warriors home games’ venue for our 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification to Botswana, we found not only inexpensive, but closer to home, safe for road transport and the enormous prospect to mobilise minimum 10 busses to transport Brave Warriors supporters to Francistown to stand firm behind our team to collect maximum points. 

“The NFA is not at liberty to disclose the cost it contractually agreed with service providers, regardless, past or present. What is important to appreciate is that the NFA, the Namibian football-lovers in the diaspora, congratulated the NFA Executive Council, the management team and staff, for bringing our flagship football product, the Warriors, closer to home.

 Her Excellency, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, through the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture is working beyond the call of duty to ensure that the Brave Warriors, Brave Gladiators and all national football teams play their home games here at home and the AUSC Region 5 Youth Games are a classic examples that the new government is on the right track and NFA, by selecting the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium in Francistown is an excellent milestone.

 It is my sincere conviction that the media are one of NFA’s strategic stakeholders, and that you, the media, support the NFA by continuously pushing a positive narrative that it was the right thing to do that Namibians must fill the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium in Francistown to the brim for both 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification,” said Moetie. -lmupetami@nepc.com.na