Three Namibians are expected to travel to the United States (US) and watch Namiba captain and Mamelodi Sundowns striker Peter Shalulile compete at the Fifa Club World Cup in June.
This was confirmed by the Mamelodi Sundowns Supporters Club Namibia branch president, Appies Fillipus.
Speaking to Desert FM this week, Fillipus said the three traveling fans will be selected tomorrow during a gathering in Windhoek at 09h00.
“We are very much excited that three Namibians from the Namibia Supporters Branch will be joining the club for the Club World Cup in America,” Fillipus said.
The Mamelodi Sundowns Supporters Club in Namibia was established three years ago and now boasts over 150 members across the country. According to Fillipus, the club continues to expand, with plans to launch new branches.
The trip to the US will be fully funded by Mamelodi Sundowns, including flights and accommodation for the selected supporters. Fillipus explained that the three fans will travel with the team as part of the broader club delegation to the Fifa tournament. No local sponsors are involved, as the support comes directly from the parent club.
Fillipus recently traveled to Johannesburg with the branch’s deputy secretary-general to attend a special National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting hosted by the Mamelodi Sundowns Supporters leadership. The meeting reviewed the Namibian branch’s progress, challenges and goals for the future.
Regarding the selection criteria, Fillipus emphasised that it will be merit-based:
“We will select six names, and from those, the final three will be picked. We are considering supporters who have consistently shown commitment by traveling to South Africa to watch Sundowns matches in person,” he said.
Asked to respond to critics who believe Namibians should focus on supporting local clubs instead of South African teams, Fillipus said he doesn’t see any issue with it.
“There’s nothing wrong with uplifting a club you love. I’ve personally supported Mamelodi Sundowns since 1998, but I also support Ongos Football Club locally. It’s about professionalising supporters’ culture, regardless of the team,” he explained.
Looking ahead, the Namibia branch plans to recruit more members in the northern and southern parts of the country. The goal, Fillipus said, is to build a strong enough base to fill a 60-seater bus and travel regularly to South Africa to support the team.
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