Namibian football clubs have welcomed Namport’s N$90 million sponsorship of the country’s football leagues, describing it as a significant investment that could strengthen club operations, improve player welfare and support the development of the game, while cautioning that sustainable growth will depend on how the funds are distributed.
Announced last week, the sponsorship will run for three years, with N$30 million allocated annually for the 2026/27, 2027/28 and 2028/29 seasons. The investment covers development across the national, regional and women’s leagues, offering renewed hope to clubs grappling with the financial deman d s of r u n n i n g competitive teams.
However, club chairpersons who spoke to New Era Sport st ressed that while the sponsorship is a welcome inter vent ion , ques t i ons remain about the allocation of funds, the future of double-headers and the need to develop sustainable revenue streams beyond corporate sponsorship.
KK Palace
KK Palace FC chairperson Abraham Shiwambi said the investment of fered hope to clubs struggling to meet operational expenses but warned against expecting the entire amount to be immediately available.
“We we l c ome a n d a p p r e c i a t e Nampo r t ’s f i n anc i a l c ont r ibut i on towards Namibian football. This is a positive development for our game,” he said.
S h iw amb i s a i d t h e sponsorship’s impact would depend on how the money was distributed among the competitions and how much practical support reached individual clubs. He highl i ghted player salaries, allowances, medical care, training facil it i e s , equipment , and match preparation as areas that require adequate investment. He also emphasised that lower divisions and women’s football must receive meaningful support if the country is to improve its overall football standards.
On the possibility of ending double-headers, Shiwambi said additional funding would be needed to cover venue hire, security, transport, match officials and other logistical expenses associated with staging matches separately. He added that clubs should be suppor ted to d e v e l o p i n d e p e n d e n t revenue streams through partnerships, membership programmes, ticket sales and merchandising, rather than relying on a single sponsor or the football authorities.
Rundu Chiefs
Ag r i pa Ha i n d on g o, chairman of the North East First Division and owner of Rundu Chiefs FC, also welcomed the sponsorship, saying it demonstrated the important role corporate Namibia could play in community development and employment creation. “It’s a very good thing that big companies are giving back to the community,” he said. Haindongo acknowledged that N$30 million annually would have to stretch across numerous football activities and competitions, making it unlikely that the funding would immediately eliminate the need for double-headers. He said clubs must also t ake re spons ibi l i ty for their own sustainability by encouraging supporters and members to pay membership fees and contribute towards operational costs. He urged other companies to follow Namport’s example and invest in sport.
Blue Waters
Blue Waters chairperson Mathias Haufiku described the sponsorship as a timely investment, arguing that financial resources were e s sent i a l to improvi ng c omp e t i t i v e n e s s a n d developing players. He said better-resourced clubs would be be t t e r positioned to strengthen technical planning and player development, ultimately creating a stronger pool of talent for national team selection. “It’s better to play double-headers than have no football at all,” Haufiku said, reflecting the financial realities facing clubs under the current matchday system. Hau f i ku not e d that scrapping double-headers would increase clubs’ travel expenses but also give players more recovery time and help the league comply with FIFA’s mandatory 72-hour interval between matches. He fur ther cal led for more t r ai n i ng in club administration, financial management and commercial development, saying stronger management structures were necessary to ensure long-term sustainability.
Okahandja United
Ok a h a n d ja Un i t e d chairperson Congo Hindjou said the sponsorship could raise the standard of the top-flight league, provided the funds were managed transparently and distributed fairly. He said clubs were waiting to determine how much would be allocated to the Premier League and it s participating teams, adding that the investment’s real value would be measured by its impact on the ground. Hindjou believes double-headers are likely to remain in place in the immediate future because of the costs associated with organising individual fixtures. However, he said moving to one match per weekend would improve player recovery, give technical teams more time to prepare and create better commercial opportunities for clubs. He estimated that Premier League clubs would need at least N$50 million to operate under a singl e – match-per-weekend system. Hi ndjou al so propos ed that government consider matching Namport’s three-year commitment to help establish a more financially stable football environment. He said football could c o n t r i b u t e t o yo u t h empl oyme nt , bus i n e s s development and soc ial transformation, provided stakeholders worked together to build a sustainable funding model. Across the four clubs, one concern emerged: while the sponsorship is a major step forward, its success will depend on effective distribution, accountability, and continued investment from other stakeholders. The chairpersons also agreed that clubs must strengthen their commercial structures and reduce their dependence on external funding to remain financially viable beyond the sponsorship period.
League start
According to a communique sent out by NFA’s acting general secretary Mabos Vries yesterday, the leagues are slated to officially start on 24 October, with the administrative processes and distribution of funds to be undertaken before the league begins. -hnalupe@nepc.com.na
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