Sports

Under-resourced regions excelled at the Newspaper Cup

Under-resourced regions excelled at the Newspaper Cup

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Kunene Region was crowned champions of the 2025 Nedbank Newspaper Cup after defeating Kavango West 2-0 in the football final, marking a historic first win for the team. The victory, achieved on home soil, was guided by head coach Tuerikondjera Kasaona, who made history as the first woman to coach a men’s team to a tournament win. Kasaona also serves as assistant coach of the Debmarine Premier League side Blue Waters. “This win means a lot to the people of Kunene. It’s even more special that we did it at home in front of our supporters who have…
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Brave Warriors to face Bafana Bafana in June

Brave Warriors to face Bafana Bafana in June

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Namibia’s national football team, the Brave Warriors, is expected to play South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in a FIFA international friendly match scheduled for 10 June 2025. According to a report by South African publication The Star, the South African Football Association (SAFA) has lined up two friendly matches for Bafana Bafana in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. South Africa is scheduled to face Tanzania on 6 June, followed by Namibia four days later. The fixtures are seen as important warm-up matches for both countries as they gear up for the next round of World Cup…
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Khomas soccer coach denies favouritism in selection of Newspaper Cup squad

Khomas soccer coach denies favouritism in selection of Newspaper Cup squad

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Khomas regional football coach, Risto Shikomba, has refuted claims of favouritism in selecting the team that competed in the 2025 Nedbank Newspaper Cup held in Outjo, Kunene Region. Shikomba addressed growing public criticism after the team failed to win a single match at the tournament. Some social media users accuse the technical team of favouring players from specific areas while overlooking talent from informal settlements. Speaking to the Windhoek Observer, Shikomba said the final squad was assembled through open, constituency-based trials and was not influenced by bias or favouritism. “The process began with the first phase of trials…
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Defending champions gear up for the 2025 Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup

Defending champions gear up for the 2025 Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup

Erasmus Shalihaxwe  The reigning netball and football champions of the 2024 Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup are preparing to defend their titles at this year’s tournament, set to take place in Outjo from Friday, 18 April to Monday, 21 April. The three-time back-to-back netball champions from the Khomas region are aiming for a fourth consecutive win.  Khomas Netball Regional Secretary General Erica van Zyl said the region conducted constituency trials before selecting its final team. “Our girls have been trained in the fundamentals of netball from an early age, making the transition to the under-19 level seamless. We also have programs…
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KEFA clubs demand an extraordinary meeting to iron out grievances

KEFA clubs demand an extraordinary meeting to iron out grievances

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Football clubs affiliated with the Kavango East Football Association (KEFA) have formally called on league chairperson Patrick Mukoya to convene an extraordinary annual general meeting, citing concerns over governance and the continued absence of a league constitution. In a letter addressed to Mukoya on Monday, club representatives, including Haushiku Kemba, Shankumi Mukeni, Mapa Erwin, Mukuve Thapa, and Manfred Mangundu, expressed frustration with what they described as the chairperson’s ongoing failure to uphold basic governance principles. They said Mukoya has repeatedly ignored the requirement to hold an annual general meeting at the start of each season to account for…
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NRU confirms warm-up matches for Africa Cup preparation

NRU confirms warm-up matches for Africa Cup preparation

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Namibia Rugby Union (NRU) has announced a series of high-profile warm-up matches for the national team, the Welwitschias, as part of their preparation for the 2025 Rugby Africa Cup and a bid to qualify for the 2027 Rugby World Cup. NRU Chief Executive Officer John Heynes confirmed on Tuesday that the matches will begin in June. He said that these games are expected to play a crucial role in building team cohesion and fitness ahead of the continental tournament scheduled for 6–20 July in Uganda. “These matches offer vital preparation and a chance for fans to enjoy…
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Outjo councillor urges football coaches to dream bigger

Outjo councillor urges football coaches to dream bigger

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Outjo Constituency councillor Johnny Asino has urged local football coaches to aim high and pursue opportunities beyond Namibia’s borders, encouraging them to dream of leading major international clubs. Asino delivered his message on Monday during the opening of the Namibia Football Association (NFA) Introductory Coaching Course currently taking place in Outjo.  The week-long course has attracted 25 aspiring coaches. He said football is a global sport that connects people across continents and cultures, with players and coaches moving between clubs around the world. He encouraged Namibian coaches to adopt the same global mindset. “You don’t have to confine…
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NFA mourns referees killed in car crash

NFA mourns referees killed in car crash

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Namibia Football Association (NFA) is mourning the death of two match officials, Helmut Andreas and Hans Petrus, who died in a car accident on Friday while en route to Windhoek to officiate at Premier League matches. NFA Director of Marketing and Communications, Isack Hamata, confirmed the tragic loss and described it as a significant blow to refereeing development in Namibia. Andreas, aged 55 and widely known in football circles as "Germany", was a seasoned referee with a long-standing commitment to the game. He held former FIFA accreditation and served as a local referee instructor, assessor, and chairperson…
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School athletes set for European tour

School athletes set for European tour

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Namibian Private Schools Organisation (NAPSO) is organising a European athletics tour scheduled to take place in June for young Namibian athletes.  The touring team comprises 10 girls and 10 boys, most of whom are high school learners. The team will depart from Windhoek to Tallinn, Estonia, on 14 June.  They will participate in their first competition from 17 to 18 June, followed by a second competition in Estonia from 19 to 20 June. NAPSO Head of Athletics, Marnarie Gouws, said the team will then travel to Hanover, Germany, on 21 June for training before heading to Sweden…
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Ballotti secures sponsorship from Pstbet for all newspaper cup teams

Ballotti secures sponsorship from Pstbet for all newspaper cup teams

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation, Sport, Arts and Culture, Dino Ballotti, has secured sponsorship for all 14 regional teams set to compete in the 2025 Nedbank Newspaper Cup. Ballotti announced on Thursday that betting company Pstbet will provide N$10 000 to each regional team to cover expenses for the Easter Youth Tournament, which will be hosted in Outjo during the Easter weekend. The announcement follows reports that the Ohangwena regional team was stranded without funds for accommodation, playing kits, and extra tracksuits.  The team’s old gear was reportedly taken by previous officials who had managed the squad in…
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