Zebaldt Ngaruka
Otjiwarongo Sports Academy and Okakarara Golden Ladies will be representing Namibia at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) U/17 Girls Integrated Football (GIFT) tournament starting 08 to 18 December 2025 in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The tournament in its fifth edition, is an annual African football competition, organised by CAF, for clubs with girls under age seventeen.
Its main focus is to develop organised football for girls at club or academy level throughout the continent. New Era Sports caught up with the two clubs’ heads to shed light on their excitement and preparedness for the CAF GIFT tournament.
Otjiwarongo Sports Academy chairperson Raisameua Kasaona said it is an excitement for the entire team to be part of the great initiative. “This is another great opportunity for the girls to showcase their talent at what will be probably the highest level of football. The girls are very happy, the spirits are high and they are looking forward to the occasion,” said Kasaona. He added that the preparation camp will start on 21 November 2025.
“We are going there to compete and play our best football and hoping to make our country proud,” said the chairperson.
Otjiwarongo Sports Academy recently got a silver medal at Otjiwarongo Youth Tournament and has the experience of playing international competitions.
“We played teams like Gaborone United FC from Botswana and Big Sister FC in Botswana at the two nations tournament held in Bethanie, South Africa, in July this year,” he said. He further called on the team supporters and the entire Namibian community to assist the team with any contribution towards the team’s preparation.
Wilson Nguvauva, the Okakarara Golden Ladies FC president, on his part said he is excited the team got such an opportunity to play outside the borders and represent Namibia.
“This is our first time to go outside the country and it will boost the morale of the players. It will also expose my players and technical staff to the international standards,” he said.
Nguvauva added that he is currently busy with paperwork, arranging players’ passports and police declarations.
On the players’ training schedule, the president said the girls will kickoff with their training exercise on Friday as they are currently busy with the final examination.
The president further said the team need sport gear as they are going to play outside the country for the first time.
“We need financial aid to cover some logistical arrangements here and there. We even need tracksuits to travel with to Zimbabwe,” Nguvauva said.
He said the Okakarara and Okamatapati community should rally behind the team and support the girls with whatever possible.
“This is a big experience for them. They need support and the CAF GIFT tournament might be the scouting ground for other top teams in the world,” said the president among others.
The Okakarara Regional Sport Officer in Otjozondjupa region, Justice Kambuu Kavari, told New Era Sports that he is happy for the two teams’ achievement.
“They are going to take part in the historic event and I am proud of them,” he said.
Kavari added that the resources are scarce at these teams’ disposal, therefore, he requests the corporate world to come on board.
“We are still waiting for the government response in terms of transport to Zim assistance Zimbabwe,” he said.
When asked about the criteria used to select the teams, NFA spokesperson Isack Hamata told New Era Sports that the two teams were selected at the CAF U/15 Schools championship / Namibian phase, which took place on 02-05 October 2025 at High Technical School in Academia and NFA Technical Centre in Katutura.
“That tournament also served as trials for the CAF African Schools Championship / COSAFA Qualifiers, which will take place in Stellenbosch during December 2025,” he said.
The spokesperson added that a total of 33 boys and 33 girls from all the participating regions were selected during the Namibian phase.
“From those two groups, the final boys and girls squads will be selected when they come into camp next week,” Hamata said, adding that the selection panels considered eligibility, performance, physical and mental readiness during the tournament.
– zngaruka@yahoo.com