Africa-Press – Eswatini. Good news for football lovers in the country.
This comes after the ministry of sports, culture and youth affairs granted the Eswatini Football Association a once-off provision after allowing 5 000 fans for tomorrow’s double header at Mavuso Sports Centre.
The venue will host the capital city derby between bitter rivals Mbabane Highlanders and Mbabane Swallows. This biggest match in the land will play after a potential thriller between hub giants Manzini Wanderers and Green Mamba. Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs Harries ‘Madze’ Bulunga announced the news through a correspondence released yesterday.
“The ministry of sports, culture and youth affairs wishes to announce that government has approved a once-off request by the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) to increase the maximum number of fully vaccinated spectators allowed to attend a double-header of elite football matches on Sunday, at Mavuso Sports Centre.
“Therefore, the EFA has been allowed to avail 5 000 tickets for fully vaccinated spectators, strictly for this double header,” he said. The minister further specified that tickets would only be available to fully vaccinated fans and that other venues would maintain the current COVID -19 regulations.
“While acknowledging that this is, for now, a once off-permission, we hope that it will assist in building excitement and driving growth around the football industry as it, like many other industries, continues to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It is also important to emphasise that only fully vaccinated supporters, as per the prevailing regulations, will be able to attend the Sunday matches. “The normal regulations guiding spectator numbers will apply as is in other matches this weekend and going forward,” he said.
The minister further urged football supporters countrywide to vaccinate in order to be able to attend elite football activities and in turn support the sports industry that hires thousands of Emaswati across the country.
“We will continue to engage the relevant structures with a view of achieving a further relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions on the sporting sector, guided by the COVID-19 situation on the ground,” he said.
Government currently allows 2 000 vaccinated spectators vaccinated at bigger venues such as Mavuso Sports Centre and 500 at open venues such as Mayaluka Stadium under the strict health protocols.
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