Botswana hopeful of winning AFCON 2027 Bid

Calistus Kolantsho | Monday August 7, 2023 15:12

The delegation comprised Adam Vojtekovszki (Price Waterhouse Coopers-Switzerland), Sophie Bich-Chieu Vu Tien (Price Waterhouse Coopers-Switzerland) and Omar El Ghiati (CAF).

During the tour of the Lobatse Sports Complex, the delegation visited the VIP area, dressing rooms, playing ground (turf), general stands, and the competition area amongst others. The Bid Committee chairperson, Ashford Mamelodi told Sport Monitor that the inspection started on Friday at the Obed Itani Stadium in Francistown and one training venue, the old Francistown Stadium.

He said they also visited accommodation facility, Thapama hotel. “We immediately flew to Kasane as an opportunity to show them the other side of this country. We are now here in Lobatse, the welcome was amazing and I feel the CAF officials are feeling welcome.

They have seen what they wanted to see in all the venues. They are not going to tell us what they think, the questions they ask; our technicians are taking note,” he said. Mamelodi said the most critical thing is that the inspectors have read the Bid Book, they know what Botswana wants to do to the stadiums. He said the inspectors want to see if that transformation is possible. He said the report will be compiled by auditors from Price Waterhouse Coopers, adding that the auditors are stadiums specialists.

Facilities Audit Consultant of Ruben Reddy Architects, Ruben Reddy told Sport Monitor that they prepared the Bid Book based on CAF requirements. “There were specifications that we had to follow. We also did facilities audit in all facilities. At this facility, particularly the competition area, has been lowered than the CAF requirements. That is why when you look at our Bid Book we have corrected that.

We have looked at the requirements and reconfigured the stadium to satisfy those. What is significant with Botswana Bid is that we extended CAF requirements, we looked at FIFA requirements,” he said. Reddy said with confidence that Botswana has the most competitive bid especially that he caught site of what other competitors have put up. He said it will be very difficult to look past of Botswana Bid Book. He said after winning the bid, that is when the pressure starts. “I was successful in two other bids, South Africa 2010 and Russia 2018.

I played an intimate part in delivering those events. All this is possible, it has been done before,” he said. Meanwhile, Mamelodi added that after winning the bid, the honours come back to the government. He said after building the facilities, they should be tested before they can host the main event. At the end of the visit, the team held a technical meeting with the Bid Committee. The host of AFCON 2027 will be announced in September.