Wait for football return over

Yesterday was a good day for domestic football, which returns to a field near you next week depending on which venues are fit and available for use.

The NFA announced that the Namibia Premier Football League will get N$18 million from Debmarine Namibia to kick off the 2024-25 season next week Friday, while MTC Namibia made it known that it will introduce an auxiliary in-season competition.

It is a welcome development for the football fraternity, which had feared the worst following several false dawns to the start of the new campaign.

An announce on the kick off for the first, second and third divisions is imminent, while the Women’s Super League members met to deliberate on the subject yesterday.

“It’s exciting wonderful news. The plight of our players is at risk when football is not played. So, myself that also depends on football, I am very grateful to the sponsors,” said Tigers head coach Woody Jacobs.

FC Ongos defender Oswaldo Xamseb says the news has brought players peace of mind. Some players survive solely on the meagre earnings from playing football, and are only paid when the game is on.

For others, it is a passion that bring immense joy and gratification to them and their followers.

“The feeling is unexplainable. It’s like an orphan getting a present on Christmas Day,” Xamseb said. “Football for some of us is not only a job. You know it’s a stress reliever. It’s therapeutic and it keeps most of us out of trouble,” he continued.

“We can’t wait for the league to start. We have been training for a while now so we can have a good start. Our aim as a team is to try and collect maximum points and see where it leads to. Obviously our aim is to win the league, but you know we are going to take it one game at a time,” said the experienced player who hopes for an injury-free season to help the club achieve its goals.

“With that being said, I would just like to thank the people that are fighting behind the scenes to get the league to kick off everybody that made this possible.”

It appears that Debmarine Namibia and the NFA finally found common ground, following reports of a deadlock in September.

However, both parties claim they had to be thorough before making an announcement.

“We would like to thank the clubs and the football-loving public for their patience and understanding as we worked diligently to ensure a smooth and successful start of the Debmarine Namibia Premiership 2024/2025,” they said when jointly making the announcement yesterday.

They hoped for “positive and amicable engagements in football throughout this season” in a bid to “provide growth in football and a positive narrative.”

This could be interpreted to mean they agreed that getting the ball rolling was paramount, with the outcome of other matters still pending and will be attended to while football is being played.

The autonomy of the NPFL is arguably chief amongst such matters.

However, the scarcity of hospitable match venues countrywide which can simultaneously accommodate the topflight and lower divisions is a more pressing issue.

That much the premiership’s organisers alluded to.

“The NFA and Debmarine Namibia further call upon all stadium owners, including government, municipalities and private entities to kindly avail and do everything possible by preparing and ensuring the readiness of their stadia where Debmarine Namibia Premiership matches are to be played,” the NFA and Debmarine Namibia stated.

Worries aside, they implored the nation to get behind football and help harness its power and ensure maximum returns for investors like Debmarine Namibia.

“The NFA and Debmarine Namibia invite all football-lovers, all small-and-medium enterprises selling food and beverages at football stadia to continue supporting the beautiful game with passion and by so doing contribute to the economic development of our country,” the statement reads.