No money for 10 stadiums – NFA

The Namibia Football Association (NFA) has sourced more than 10 pieces of land countrywide to build stadiums on, but says it has no funding to develop them.

NFA spokesperson Cassius Moetie confirmed this to The Namibian yesterday.

He said the land was secured through engagements with local authorities.

“The NFA does not have money in its bank account to do those kinds of things.

We will never be able to do it with our own funding. We will have to lobby and mobilise for funds that come from outside and local investment,” he said.

The NFA stadiums are not part of the 28 stadiums the government is building countrywide.

Government-funded stadiums will be constructed at sites identified by regional authorities, while the NFA’s own projects remain tied to land donated to the federation independently.

Moeti yesterday said the NFA secured the land before the governors were given the directive and mandate from the Office of the President to develop stadiums.

“The Kavango West [Regional Council] has already given us the land, so we built the NFA stadium.

Construction will take place in the local authorities where we were given the land,” he said.

Moetie said the NFA welcomes the government’s move to build stadiums as a positive step towards decentralising infrastructure development.

“This is a very welcome move – a move the NFA embraces and appreciates and applauds the president for, having decentralised the budgeting and the construction of regional stadiums to the various regions,” he said.

Moetie said the NFA will play a technical advisory role to ensure stadiums meet international standards set by international football body Fifa and the Confederation of African Football.

“Regional governors have already approached the NFA following the president’s directive, and engagements are taking place to guide the construction process,” he said.

Upgrades to existing facilities such as the Sam Nujoma Stadium are still ongoing, with compliance dependent on evolving international requirements, Moetie said.

He said inspections were carried out at these stadiums by the Confederation of African Football, with detailed recommendations issued to guide renovations and ensure compliance with international standards. Infrastructure limitations at certain facilities, particularly around accessibility and parking, are challenges, he said.

“Just imagine Independence Stadium and all the parking around it . . . if you want to play the Brave Warriors there, you need huge land where the technical centre is situated right now, but there are houses around it, so in terms of parking it’s already a problem,” he said.

Moetie said while facilities such as Sam Nujoma Stadium are undergoing upgrades, meeting international requirements remains a moving target as standards continue to evolve.

“The requirements of stadiums change all the time,” he said.

Moetie said regional governors rely on the NFA’s expertise as the recognised football authority in Namibia, particularly because international bodies such as Fifa and the CAF only engage the NFA on football matters.

He said Namibia must continuously adjust its plans.

While the association describes prospects for investment as positive, the absence of confirmed financial backing means more than 10 stadium sites across the country remain idle.

Deputy minister of education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture Dino Ballotti has backed the NFA’s initiative, describing it as an ambitious undertaking.

“Collectively we all want to see sport infrastructure in every corner of our country, and we shall continue to work together to unlock access to quality infrastructure,” he says.

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