Reigning champions target glory at Keetmans

The defending champions of the 2025 Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup in football and netball, the Kunene and Kavango East regions, say they are going to the ||Kharas region to retain the trophies they won last year.

This year’s Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup will take place from 3 to 6 April at Keetmanshoop, bringing together under-20 football and netball teams from all 14 regions of Namibia.

Kunene region football coach Simon Haradoeb says they resumed camp on 20 March, before participating in the Outjo Football Academy under-20 tournament last weekend, which they won.

“The victory in the tournament has lifted the team’s spirit. We selected and retained players from the victorious teams of last year. We have a 15-year-old striker as the youngest player in our team.”

He says the aim is to go as far as possible in the tournament, noting that their group is tough, as it comprises the Zambezi and Omusati regions, two teams that play long-ball football and are very physical.

Haradoeb says they are currently training once a day during the week, with friendly matches set up for weekends.

Meanwhile, Kavango East netball team assistant coach Edeltraud ‘Letty’ Mupiri, says they will go to the ||Kharas region for one reason: to reclaim what is theirs.

“This is our trophy and we will fiercely defend it. Kavango East is a big netball region, and we are planning on keeping this trophy for good,” she says.

“We have a balanced team of experience and youthful exuberance. When we recruited the team, we gave every Kavango East girl a chance to stake a claim on the team.”

Acting Namibia Football Association (NFA) general secretary Mabos Vries says everything is in place for the biggest youth development tournament in Namibia.

He says most regions have finalised their teams and are in camp, busy with preparations.

Netball Namibia president Juanita Witbeen says it’s all systems go, with the federation now busy finalising the player cards for all the participating regions.

“We’re making sure the regions have selected players under the correct age. Our representatives have assured us that all preparations are progressing well and are ready for the competition.”

Since its inception in 2001, the Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup has been widely regarded as the height of youth sport development in the country. It serves as the primary bridge between grassroots talent and national representation.

Nedbank Namibia spokesperson Selma Kaulinge has reaffirmed the bank’s continued commitment to investing in youth development through sport.

“The Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup brings the best talent to one location; it provides a rare opportunity for national team selectors and club scouts to identify players who would otherwise remain unnoticed in remote areas.

“It introduces young athletes to high-pressure, competitive environments, helping them transition from school-level sport to professional standards,” she says.

She says the hosting model of the cup ensures development is not just about the athletes, but also the environment they play in through facility upgrades.

This is through host towns receiving significant government and private investment to upgrade stadiums, install floodlights, and renovate school hostels, for example.

“The Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup reminds us that sport, like financial fitness, requires discipline, consistency, and long-term planning.

“Through our #GetMoneyFit campaign, we are proud to support a platform that keeps our youth engaged in positive activities while building their confidence for the future,” Kaulinge says.

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