Chronicle Editor
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
Cosafa remains optimistic that it will host four of the planned six football tournaments this year.
The football calendar was disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic which forced countries to introduce lockdowns as part of measures to curb the spread of the pandemic.
In a statement, Cosafa secretary-general Sue Destombe said the organisation has been working behind the scenes to prepare for its events, but remained reliant on the green light from governments in the region.
“These are the greatest obstacles to overcome, but there have been some encouraging signs in recent weeks now that the South African government has reopened borders to African countries and confirmed that international sporting events may take place,” said Destombe.
She said the opening up of borders has, however, come as late news for the organisation to prepare for its tournaments and also to utilise the October Fifa international window which has a packed calendar, including resumption of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers next month.
The Cosafa Women’s Championship in South Africa’s Nelson Mandela Bay is now pencilled in for November 3-14, with a number of teams having already confirmed their participation.
“The teams that have confirmed their participation are South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Comoros, Angola and Malawi while Namibia and Eswatini are awaiting Government approval to travel. Kenya have requested a guest place in the tournament while Mauritius remain doubtful. Madagascar, Seychelles and Mozambique have declined, and Lesotho have yet to commit to taking part,” she said.
The Cosafa Women’s Under-17 Championship is also scheduled to be staged in Nelson Mandela Bay concurrently with the senior tournament, but in a reduced format, most likely with four to six teams. East African nation Tanzania have also expressed an interest in taking part.
That leaves the two zonal qualifiers that provide Southern Africa’s entrants into the continental finals of the Under-17 and Under-20 Caf competitions to be played next year.
The Cosafa men’s Under-17 Championship is pencilled in for South Africa from November 19-29, with the host city still to be determined.
The two finalists of the competition will qualify for the continental finals in Morocco in July 2021.
The Cosafa men’s Under-20 Championship will no longer take place in Mauritius after the island nation withdrew from hosting it due to Covid-19 regulations and is now planned to take place in South Africa from December 3-13.
Twelve nations have confirmed their participation, but Seychelles and Madagascar have declined invitations to take part in any Cosafa events in 2020, while Mauritius are yet to confirm their participation.
“A lot of work has been going on behind the scenes during the Covid-19 pandemic to try and realise our goals of hosting these events but we are completely reliant on conditions being favourable and obviously that is out of our control. What we can promise is that health and safety protocols will be in place as well as utilising practices from the experiences of the South African Football Association, who successfully completed their 2019-20 league season.”
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