The Botswana Football Association (BFA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Saudi Arabian Football Association (SAFF) to collaborate and accelerate the development of football in both countries. The agreement covers grassroots development, women’s football, governance, organization of friendly matches, as well as coaching and refereeing development.

The timing of this collaboration is crucial for Botswana, which is bidding to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. Namibia, which was initially part of the joint bid, pulled out citing challenges in securing financial commitments from the government. As Saudi Arabia is hosting the 2027 Asian Cup, the partnership could offer valuable expertise and support to Botswana during the bidding process.

BFA President Maclean Letshwiti

The BFA President, Maclean Letshwiti, expressed his excitement about the collaboration with SAFF, citing the latter’s drive and progress in world football. Indeed, Saudi Arabia has been making remarkable strides in football development and has recently hosted training camps for various national teams across all age categories. The Saudi U-17 men’s team played a friendly match against Ghana last week, as part of its preparation for the AFC U-17 Asian Cup.

In light of this development, the SAFF President, Yasser Al Misehal, expressed delight about the collaboration with the Botswana FA and looks forward to fruitful exchanges that would strengthen their common passion for football.

Botswana Football Saudi Arabia