Africa-Press – Botswana. The third edition of Clash of Legends football tournament is scheduled for June 21 at the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium in Francistown.
This year’s event promises an exciting lineup featuring four nations: Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Spectators will have an opportunity to watch former national team players from each country showcase their talents once again. During the launch event, Sekhana ‘Nandos’ Koko, the organiser of Clash of Legends, was delighted to be hosting tournament for the third consecutive year.
“Despite the challenges we faced, we persisted. We are confident that this year’s edition will surpass previous ones, especially with more countries taking part,” Koko stated.
Koko also revealed that the tournament would be moved to a new location, the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium, to better accommodate the growing interest and scale of the event.
“This year’s focus is to celebrate the rich football heritage shared across our region. Inviting more countries is part of that vision,” he added.
The tournament will kick off with Botswana facing Namibia, followed by South Africa competing against Zimbabwe. The losers of these matches will then meet in a third-place playoff, culminating in the final match to determine the champion.
In addition to the matches, organisers plan to host coaching clinics at selected schools prior to the tournament. Koko highlighted insights from South African football legend Matthew Booth, who emphasised that the post-retirement struggles faced by former athletes are concerning. Booth pointed out that, globally, about 75 per cent of footballers in South Africa and Europe face financial ruin, divorce, or social issues within five years of ending their careers.
Koko expressed his hope that events like Clash of Legends can serve as a platform to bring retired footballers together and foster positive engagement. The team managers for the participating countries include Boitumelo Mafhoko (Botswana), Dokkies Schmidt (Namibia), Tinashe Nengomasha (Zimbabwe), and Dikgang Mabalane (South Africa).
For More News And Analysis About Botswana Follow Africa-Press
