Nam at U12 football Cup

NAMIBIA will join South Africa and Cameroon as Africa’s representatives in the annual Danone under-12 Nations Cup football tournament to be held in Stade de Gerland in Lyon, France, from June 29 to July 1.

Each of the three countries will be represented by one club at the Nations Cup tournament. According to media reports from South Africa, Danone’s assistant brand manager, Tlalane Makape, said each country would hold a qualifying tournament to see which club qualifies for the Nations Cup tournament.Bangladesh, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Chile, Slovakia and Uruguay will also be sending representatives at the Nations Cup tournament.Makape said he was happy that Namibia and Cameroon would be taking part in the tournament for the first time.”We welcome Namibia and Cameroon and other new participants to our growing family.It is therefore our pleasure to say this has opened a window of opportunity for African teams.”The tournament has grown substantially since its inception in 2000 when there were only eight participating countries, before the number was raised to 24 and later to 32 in 2001 and 2003 respectively,” said Makape.In the past, under-12 national teams represented their countries.The South African national team, affectionately known as the Tsetse Flies, won the tournament in 2003.South Africa have already begun their qualifying rounds in all 52 regions which fall under the South African Football Association (Safa).Arsenal FC from Mpumalanga, represented South Africa in the 2006 edition in France while Orlando Pirates qualified for the 2005 tournament.According to media reports from South Africa, Danone’s assistant brand manager, Tlalane Makape, said each country would hold a qualifying tournament to see which club qualifies for the Nations Cup tournament.Bangladesh, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Chile, Slovakia and Uruguay will also be sending representatives at the Nations Cup tournament. Makape said he was happy that Namibia and Cameroon would be taking part in the tournament for the first time.”We welcome Namibia and Cameroon and other new participants to our growing family.It is therefore our pleasure to say this has opened a window of opportunity for African teams.”The tournament has grown substantially since its inception in 2000 when there were only eight participating countries, before the number was raised to 24 and later to 32 in 2001 and 2003 respectively,” said Makape.In the past, under-12 national teams represented their countries.The South African national team, affectionately known as the Tsetse Flies, won the tournament in 2003.South Africa have already begun their qualifying rounds in all 52 regions which fall under the South African Football Association (Safa).Arsenal FC from Mpumalanga, represented South Africa in the 2006 edition in France while Orlando Pirates qualified for the 2005 tournament.