NFA launches N$7.5m cup amid club withdrawals

The Namibia Football Association (NFA) has officially unveiled the NFA Cup 2026, describing it as the biggest football competition in the country’s history, involving 66 leagues, 740 clubs, and more than 21 900 players across all 14 regions.

Speaking at the launch in Windhoek, NFA acting general secretary Mabos Vries, together with the association spokesperson Casius Moeti, says the competition is aimed at expanding playing opportunities and improving competitiveness across all levels of Namibian football.

“The objective of the NFA, relative to the NFA Cup, is to increase the number of competitions, increase game time for players across all leagues, and, by the same token, keep our players fit and competitive throughout the football season,” Vries says.

The NFA confirmed that the tournament will be funded with N$7.5 million through Fifa support and will include teams from the premier league, women’s super league, first division, second division, and regional leagues in a nationwide knockout format.

It was also revealed that, for the first time, Futsal Namibia will be part of the competition.

However, the announcements come amid growing concerns from clubs over the timing of the tournament, financial readiness, and participation, with several teams reportedly withdrawing from the competition due to cost implications.

The press conference also addressed the withdrawal of Bucks Buccaneers FC, who cite financial strain, including player salary commitments of approximately N$420 000 over two months, as well as additional unbudgeted travel and logistical costs.

Tigers FC and Life Fighters FC have also reportedly withdrawn from the competition.

The NFA confirms it had received formal notices from the withdrawing clubs and says the matter would be handled internally before official responses are communicated publicly.

“We have received the notices from those clubs. We will process the information and revert to them,” Vries says.

The association adds that communication on such matters would first be directed to the affected clubs before being released to the media.

The NFA also faced scrutiny over whether clubs were adequately consulted before the introduction of the tournament and its role in CAF qualification.

The association maintains that competition structures fall under the authority of the federation and do not require direct club approval, arguing that football governance frameworks allow the federation to determine formats and schedules.

“It is the football association that directs when competitions take place and in what format, as per our governing documents,” Vries says.

One of the key outstanding issues remains how Namibia’s representatives for CAF interclub competitions will be determined, with questions asked about whether league standings or the newly introduced NFA Cup will decide qualification.

Addressing the issue of qualification for CAF competitions, the NFA states that Namibia is required to nominate one club for the CAF Champions League and one for the CAF Confederation Cup.

The association confirms that the tournament is currently funded through Fifa assistance, with no commercial sponsor announced at this stage.

“If we announce and fail to secure funding, we will be the first to be criticised. We must be careful not to over-promise and under-deliver,” Moeti says.

The NFA states that the scale of the competition is a development-driven initiative aimed at increasing competitiveness, match exposure, and grassroots football growth across the country.

The cup kicks off today, with the third division’s streams expected to start with preliminary matches.

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