NPFL, NPL meet in one room
• Motsepe calls for unity
Attempts to have Namibian football resurrected have been bolstered after Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe's visit to Namibia.
Jesse Jackson KauraisaWindhoek
Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe has urged football administrators and clubs in Namibia to unite for the sake of football in the country.
The CAF president, who was addressing members of Namibian football during a closed-door meeting, reminded those in attendance that “no one is bigger than football”.
The meeting, which marked the first time the Namibia Premier Football League (NPFL) and the expelled Namibia Premier League (NPL) sat at the same table, is said to signal light at the end of the tunnel for the beautiful game.
This is after the Fifa normalisation committee instructed the two leagues to form a committee of eight members which will then come up with a road map to restart football under one major league. Namibian Sun understands the committee will also have to brief Fifa’s committee on a plan aimed at attracting sponsorships.
September deadline
Sources also alleged that the CAF president has requested the members to start football by September.
It is understood that Motsepe informed those in attendance that Namibia’s and Botswana’s bid to host the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) can only be bolstered if there is an active football league in the country.
“I think the meeting was fruitful for many and this might signal the start of a positive relationship between clubs and football administrators,” a source speaking on condition of anonymity said.
How it started
In 2020, the Namibia Football Association (NFA) congress resolved to expel the NPL after it failed to comply with a request from the Fifa-appointed normalisation committee.
The NPL took a stand to relegate three clubs - Young African, Orlando Pirates and Civics - at the end of the 2018/19 season. Claims from the committee and those who took over the NFA at the 2020 congress were that the NPL’s decision to relegate the clubs, while no first division football was played due to a lack of funds, was incorrect. The NPL, under its chairman Patrick Kauta, refused to bow to a request from the normalisation committee to undo the decision, and this led to their expulsion at the congress.
The newly elected leadership of the NFA endorsed the formation of the NPFL in December 2020.
The same leadership and NFA executive which was part of this formation was, however, later dismissed by Fifa due to infighting and a new normalisation committee was elected.
Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe has urged football administrators and clubs in Namibia to unite for the sake of football in the country.
The CAF president, who was addressing members of Namibian football during a closed-door meeting, reminded those in attendance that “no one is bigger than football”.
The meeting, which marked the first time the Namibia Premier Football League (NPFL) and the expelled Namibia Premier League (NPL) sat at the same table, is said to signal light at the end of the tunnel for the beautiful game.
This is after the Fifa normalisation committee instructed the two leagues to form a committee of eight members which will then come up with a road map to restart football under one major league. Namibian Sun understands the committee will also have to brief Fifa’s committee on a plan aimed at attracting sponsorships.
September deadline
Sources also alleged that the CAF president has requested the members to start football by September.
It is understood that Motsepe informed those in attendance that Namibia’s and Botswana’s bid to host the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) can only be bolstered if there is an active football league in the country.
“I think the meeting was fruitful for many and this might signal the start of a positive relationship between clubs and football administrators,” a source speaking on condition of anonymity said.
How it started
In 2020, the Namibia Football Association (NFA) congress resolved to expel the NPL after it failed to comply with a request from the Fifa-appointed normalisation committee.
The NPL took a stand to relegate three clubs - Young African, Orlando Pirates and Civics - at the end of the 2018/19 season. Claims from the committee and those who took over the NFA at the 2020 congress were that the NPL’s decision to relegate the clubs, while no first division football was played due to a lack of funds, was incorrect. The NPL, under its chairman Patrick Kauta, refused to bow to a request from the normalisation committee to undo the decision, and this led to their expulsion at the congress.
The newly elected leadership of the NFA endorsed the formation of the NPFL in December 2020.
The same leadership and NFA executive which was part of this formation was, however, later dismissed by Fifa due to infighting and a new normalisation committee was elected.
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