The number of participating teams in the Maun Women Football League has increased this season (2022/2023) from five up to eight.
The new entrants which have joined the league which kicked-off last weekend are Wolfsburg United, Saint Daniels and Moeti United, Cubs, Western Dynamites, Real Killers, Maun United Terrors and Maun Heroes.
At national level, the number of teams has also increased from 66 of the previous season to 102 this season.
Botswana Football Association (BFA) Head of Women Football Tsholofelo Sethoko has revealed that the growth in number of teams is indicative of the growing interest in women’s football.
She added that the growth of women’s football calls upon the football governing body to come up with ways to further support the sport through mobilisation of more resources.
Despite this commendable development, Sethoko has however lamented that the Nhabe region is still faced with shortage of playing grounds, while the available ones are in a poor state that leads to postponement of some games in times of rains.
A relief to the grounds shortage according to Sethoko would be the association’s 11- hectare land in Maun that could be used for the development of playing grounds should they get the needed funding to carry out the project.
Furthermore, Sethoko said the region has a serious challenge of lack of funds to cover all their expenses, adding that those meant to run the league fall short for purpose. She has since assured to share some of the challenges with the mother body BFA for swift attention.
Meanwhile, the defending champion, Cubs has gotten off to a good start in the season as they walloped Maun United Terrors 9-0 in an opening match on Saturday. Wolfsburg and Maun Heroes game that was supposed to be played same day got postponed.
On Sunday Western Dynamites defeated Real Killers by 4-1 while Moeti United won 3-2 against Saint Daniels.
The Nhabe Region Women Football League consists of three streams being Maun, Gumare and Shakawe. The Shakawe Women Football league commenced last year while the preparations to commence the Gumare Women Football league are on-going.
At the end of the leagues the winning teams from the three streams will compete against each other to determine the team that would represent the region at the National Women Football League. In the last season Cubs won the league to represent the region at the National league after defeating Blue Waters SC from Shakawe 2 – 0.
