Namibia Futsal Women’s team, also known as Futsal Gladiators 5, will know their opponents for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, after the draw, set to take place today.
The 2025 Women’s Futsal Africa Cup of Nations’ tournament is scheduled to take place in Rabat, Morocco from 22 to 30 April. This inaugural tournament will feature nine teams competing for the title and qualification spots for the 2025 FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup to be held in the Philippines.
The participating teams are Morocco (host), Angola, Cameroon, Egypt, Guinea, Madagascar, Namibia, Senegal and Tanzania.
Speaking on the expectations, Absai Simon, the vice chairman of Futsal Namibia said: “We don’t expect much at this draw, but we are hoping to not get Morrocco because they are the only strong team,” he said.
The tournament will consist of a group stage, followed by knockout rounds. The group stage will have three groups of three teams each, with the winners from each group and the best runners-up advancing to the semi-finals.
Asked if the team has been selected, he added: “We have not selected any squad for this specific tournament, because we stopped midway with the women’s league. But the selection process should start today. After the draw, we will inform the nation whether we will have trials to pick a formidable team for this qualifier.
This event symbolises a significant opportunity for the development and recognition of women’s futsal across Africa, providing a platform for teams like Namibia’s Futsal Gladiators 5 to showcase their talent on the continental stage.
Namibia’s Futsal Gladiators 5 will be making their debut in this competition, marking a significant milestone for women’s futsal in Namibia. This follows the participation of Namibia’s men’s futsal team, the Brave 5, in their first CAF Futsal Africa Cup of Nations in April 2024 in Rabat, Morocco.