Inaugural women's national league set for 2025
Kabelo Boranabi | Saturday July 6, 2024 10:04
The local women’s game has seen significant growth over the past years following the BFA's decision to abolish the then Super League with the formation of the regional leagues structure. The structure sees regional champions playing for the block titles and the block champions advance to the national championship finals to determine the ultimate domestic winners. It was a rather slow but steady start for the women’s game as in 2021 only five regions played competitive football, with 54 teams and 950 players registered. The numbers increased to 66 teams in 2022, playing seven regional leagues with 1, 300 players registered. In 2023, nine regions played women's football with 90 teams and 2, 080 players registered. The 2024 season had the highest participation as 14 of 17 BFA regional structures participated in the women’s league with 3, 300 players and close to 100 teams registered to play.
The 2023-2024 season was a moment to savour. The development of women's football as the BFA Western Block, traditionally seen as a marginalised block, debuted in the game with competitive leagues established in the Tsabong and Gantsi regions. The Western Block will make its debut in the national championship this weekend with Tsabong-based Makgabz City set to battle for the national honours alongside Tawana Top Girls, Granada FC, and Gaborone United. Speaking in a press conference recently, the BFA CEO, Mfolo Mfolo, said due to the growth of the women’s game, the BFA has since prioritised the formation of the national league to be played in the north and south divisions during the 2025-2026 season. “We have set ourselves a priority or a goal that in the season 2025-2026, we will be starting the national women's football league. The national football league will be played north and south, National First Division South and National First Division North. We will roll out the plan once we have done enough consultation. Right now we have the framework, we know how the framework is going to run but we have to do further consultation with other stakeholders,” said Mfolo.
He did not divulge more details, but MmegiSport is informed that participating teams would receive P120, 000 in grants. Mfolo further said with the input of stakeholders including the regional structures, the media and women's pressure groups, the BFA can come up with an inclusive product. He said amongst the priorities, the BFA aims to change the perception of women's football to encourage mass participation. In addition, the BFA aims to enhance the commercial value of women's football with a focus on structure and administration. Mfolo also said coaching, capacity building, and grassroots and player development were key to the development of the women’s game over the past year.
The BFA has conducted women-specific CAF C licence coaching courses with the CAF B goalkeeper coaching course in the pipeline. The BFA, through its partnership with Diamond Trading Company Botswana (DTCB), set up girl-specific grassroots centres in Jwaneng, Francistown, Mahalapye, Hukuntsi, Kang, and Selebi-Phikwe. DTC Botswana has been the main sponsor of the national finals for the past three years. The three-year agreement is coming to an end and talks will resume for DTC Botswana to be the first title sponsor of the women’s national league.