The COSAFA Show

In the latest episode of The COSAFA Show, Gaborone United Ladies coach Khalid Niyonzima looks ahead to his side’s defence of the CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier title.The 2026 tournament will be staged in Botswana from August 20-29, handing the defending champions home advantage as they seek to return to the continental finals for a second successive year.With the draw set to take place in Gaborone on Wednesday, July 22, Niyonzima discusses his team’s preparations, the lessons learned from last year’s successful campaign and the challenge of retaining the regional crown.He also reflects on the continued growth of women’s football in Botswana and what another strong showing on home soil could mean for the game in the country.

The latest episode of The COSAFA Show shines a light on player development and the growth of women’s football in the Southern African region.We hear from former Bafana Bafana defender Mark Fish, who discusses an exciting new link between his foundation and English Championship side Charlton Athletic, a club he represented during his playing career.Fish has long been passionate about developing young talent, in partnership with COSAFA, through his Fast Footie programme and Foundation, and he explains what this link-up with Charlton could mean for players in the region as they look to follow a pathway into the professional game.He also shares his thoughts on the increasing number of Southern African players making their mark abroad, and what more can be done to help young footballers from the region take the next step in their careers.Also on this episode, COSAFA Women’s Football head Violet Jubane gives us the latest on the women’s game in Southern Africa.Jubane offers her insight into the progress being made across the region, the challenges that remain, and the opportunities ahead as COSAFA continues to support the development of women’s football at all levels.

In this latest extended episode of The COSAFA Show, we bring you a bumper edition following the COSAFA Elective General Assembly held in Harare, Zimbabwe, where key decisions were taken that could shape the future of football in Southern Africa.At the centre of the episode is newly elected COSAFA President Tariq Babitseng, who begins his tenure with an ambitious vision for the region. The Botswana Football Association President takes over the leadership of COSAFA at a pivotal time and speaks about his priorities, the challenges facing Southern African football and how he hopes to drive growth and success across Member Associations. We hear directly from Babitseng following his election as he outlines his plans and aspirations for the regional game.The show also features Zimbabwean Solomon Mudege, FIFA’s Head of Development Programmes in Africa, who provides fascinating insight into the role world football’s governing body plays in supporting Member Associations across the continent. From infrastructure and governance to technical development and grassroots initiatives, Mudege explains how FIFA assistance is helping African nations strengthen football structures and unlock long-term growth.We also hear from Seychelles Football Federation President Elvis Chetty, who reflects on the enormous success of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup hosted on the Indian Ocean island last year. Chetty discusses the impact the event had on Seychelles and reveals an exciting ambition for the future that could prove hugely significant for football fans in the region.Finally, COSAFA Executive Committee member Dr Brenda Kunda joins the programme to discuss the continued rise of women’s football in Southern Africa. A passionate advocate for the women’s game, she shares her views on the progress being made, the work still to be done and the opportunities ahead as women’s football continues to grow across the region.

The inaugural COSAFA Awards were held in Johannesburg recently and brought out a galaxy of stars to celebrate our achievements as a football community in Southern Africa. There were many big winners on the night, not least the Mamelodi Sundowns quartet of Rulani Mokwena, Ronwen Williams, Thapelo Maseko and Andile Dlamini, as we honoured those who took our game to the next level in 2023.