Red Roses decry foreign player restrictions
Kabelo Boranabi | Monday September 22, 2025 06:05
Red Roses, the GU's women's team, became the first local club to clinch the COSAFA qualifiers title, sealing a maiden ticket to the continental showpiece in only their second attempt. Come November, the team will line up amongst Africa’s elite at the finals, likely to be staged in Morocco or South Africa. Unlike their rivals, the Red Roses will head into the tournament with an all-local squad, the first team in the Champions League to do so.
GU director, Nicolas Zakhem, told MmegiSport this week that the Botswana Football Association (BFA) must revisit its regulations if the country is serious about competing at the highest level.
“We unfortunately have a bit of a strict regulation; we are not allowed to sign foreign players. We have pleaded with the association that we are competing in the final eight. We are competing against teams that have foreign players, and it should give us an opportunity to acquire foreign players,” he said.
“It does not look like we are going anywhere. Sometimes I do not understand the philosophy or the reason for the BFA to deny (local) teams to compete fairly.”
Zakhem stressed that without undermining homegrown talent, Botswana’s shallow player pool makes it tough to build a formidable side without foreign reinforcements.
“We are not being given that opportunity, so there is no fair competition. I have said to the BFA, please allow us to compete fairly because football is a fair game,” he added.
Zakhem pointed out that their regional opponents fielded three to five international players in the qualifiers, giving them 'a light advantage' over the Roses.
He argued Botswana should follow the example of South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique and others in the region, where women’s teams are allowed to cast their net wider.
GU have already engaged the BFA leadership on the issue, but the matter remains unresolved.
But despite GU's predicament, BFA CEO, Mfolo Mfolo, said there is nothing that can be done.
'Our women's league is still considered amateur and therefore does not allow registration of foreign players. This is in accordance with registration on status and transfer of players. It is a FIFA policy,' Mfolo said.
The Red Roses will now test themselves against the continent’s best, including holders TP Mazembe (DR Congo), AS FAR (Morocco), USFAS Bamako (Mali), ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast), and CECAFA champions JKT Queens (Tanzania).
Two more teams, the UNIFFAC (Central Africa) winners and the host nation’s league champions, will complete the line-up.