Zebaldt Ngaruka
Former Namibia Football Association (NFA) secretary general Barry Rukoro has welcomed the government’s recent N$10 million contribution towards the revival of the Namibia Premier Football League (NPFL).
However, he warned that the injection is far from a sustainable solution to the country’s long-standing football challenges.
The pledge was announced in parliament last week by Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture Dino Balloti.
He stressed that the government’s involvement should not be viewed as interference, but rather as a responsible intervention to safeguard the nation’s most cherished sport.
Rukoro described the intervention as a much-needed lifeline, but one that “leaves more questions than answers” about the long-term viability of Namibian football.
He pointed out that the deputy minister’s announcement failed to clarify whether the government intends to make this financial support an annual commitment or if it is merely a once-off contribution.
“One needs to know whether this is a once-off injection or part of a yearly government commitment to the sport. This omission is not trivial,” he said.
“Without a consistent and predictable financial base, no serious football development can take place,” he added.
Rukoro noted that Balloti’s appeal to the corporate sector to come on board is an acknowledgement that the N$10 million is inadequate.
For context, Debmarine Namibia’s last sponsorship of the league stood at N$18 million before the deal fell apart due to governance disputes between the mining giant and the NFA.
The crux of the impasse, Rukoro explained, was whether the NPFL should remain under the NFA’s umbrella or operate independently.
He revealed that there are rumours that Debmarine may be willing to return as a sponsor, albeit with a reduced contribution of about N$10 million per season.
“Should that materialise, we would be looking at a combined N$20 million in funding. While better than what we have now, it is still far short of what is required to transform our football ecosystem,” Rukoro warned.
He said running a professional football league requires substantial investment to cover club allowances, player salaries, referees’ fees, medical support, administration, travel, prize money, marketing and broadcasting.
“For starters, N$20 million barely covers the basics,” he said.
“Let us not forget the cost of marketing and broadcasting, which are crucial for commercial growth and fan engagement,” he added.
He linked the league’s financial struggles to the unsustainable scheduling of two fixtures per club each weekend, a practice he believes leads to player fatigue, injuries and dwindling match attendances.
“Many players are training five days a week and then forced to play two matches over a weekend, yet most of them earn wages equivalent to farm labourers. This is unacceptable for professionals in any sport,” he stressed.
Rukoro said the ideal scenario would have been for government’s N$10 million to complement the existing N$18 million Debmarine deal – a combined N$30 million that could have transformed the NPFL.
“With that kind of backing, clubs would be able to pay decent wages, hire qualified coaches, improve infrastructure and invest in youth academies. That would naturally lead to better football on the pitch, more fans in the stadiums and more sponsors coming on board. It creates a virtuous cycle,” he said.
Looking further ahead, Rukoro said Namibian football has the potential to rival the South African Premier Soccer League as a regional destination for talent if it is properly funded and
managed.
“A strong league system is the foundation for national team success. With proper investment, Namibia could consistently compete at the Africa Cup of Nations and, who knows, maybe even the World Cup one day,” he concluded.