The envisaged Namibia Premier Football League (NPFL), a breakaway top-tier league established by the Namibia Football Association (NFA), plans to start and conclude all its activities within a space of three months – meaning the league will start in April and finish on or before 31 July 2021.
Not only the NPFL, but according to a communiqué sent by NFA secretary general Franco Cosmos to all clubs and affiliates yesterday – which this publication has also seen – the local football governing body also plans to start the MTC NFA Cup next month and have the final played on or before 31 July.
As per the communiqué, the clubs will have no choice but to play back-to-back matches as they rotate between league matches and FA Cup matches – that basically means teams will, for example, play league matches this weekend and then without any rest the following weekend play FA games.
“This will give the association ample time to prepare for the kick-off of the 2021/22 football season starting in September 2021, and ending in May 2022, to align our football season in accordance with that of the mother body FIFA … furthermore, the leagues and the MTC NFA Cup will be played back-to-back. As it is standard football practice, the football season will be concluded by the highlight of the MTC NFA Cup final on Saturday, 31 July 2021,” reads the NFA communiqué issued late yesterday.
The NPFL is a league established by the association to replace the expelled Namibia Premier League (NPL).
Structural mishaps still face the new NPFL as some clubs are still heavily divided on whether to join the NFA league or remain with the NPL, which is still fighting to have its expulsion reversed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland.
– ohembapu@nepc.com.na