World Relays headline packed sport year
Calistus Kolantsho - Kabelo Boranabi | Monday January 12, 2026 06:28
Athletics leads the way
Golden Door Sport Agency will host their annual Botswana Golden Grand Prix at the National Stadium on April 26. The Meet, which has been downgraded to silver, will serve as a test event for the World Athletics Relays. The biggest event of the year will undoubtedly be the World Athletics Relays scheduled for May 2 to 3 at the National Stadium.
Botswana will become the first African country to host the event. Besides the titles, teams will be racing for qualification for both the 2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest and the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing. There are qualification opportunities on both days of the competition in Gaborone.
The programme includes six events: women’s 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay, men’s 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay. Mixed 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay.
Africa Senior Championships set for May 12 to 17 will follow the relay action. Ghana will host the 2026 edition, whilst Botswana will be the host of the 2028 edition.
In June, Botswana will will welcome 10 countries in June as the Botswana Tertiary Student Sports Association (BOTESSA) hosts the Confederation of Universities and Colleges Sports Association (CUCSA) Games.
Swimming gets nod
for regional eventThe Botswana Swimming Sport Association (BSSA), in collaboration with the Africa Aquatics Zone IV (Southern Africa), will host the 2026 Zone IV Aquatic Championships. The prestigious regional event will take place in September 2026 and is expected to attract over 300 elite swimmers, with more than 70 officials. The championships mark a significant milestone for Botswana as it continues to position itself as a leading hub for regional sports tourism and international events.
High-profile tennis
tournament in GaboroneBotswana Tennis Association (BTA) will kick off its international competitions by hosting the International Tennis Federation (ITF)/Confederation of African Tennis (CAT) Southern Africa Junior Championships 2026. The championship starts today (January 9) and runs until January 17 at the National Tennis Centre in Gaborone. BTA will also have two weeks of men’s and women’s professional tennis with a prize money of US$15,000 (nearly P200,000). Some of the top players expected to play in the tournament include Ntungamili Raguin, Denzel Seetso, Mark Nawa, and Ekua Youri.
Women’s league to be launched
After years in the pipeline, Botswana’s first-ever Women’s First Division League officially kicks off this January, marking a major milestone for women’s football. Following the annulment of the Women’s Super League in 2016, women’s football has, for nearly a decade, been confined to regional competitions. However, steady growth at grassroots and regional levels has prompted the Botswana Football Association (BFA) to introduce a structured First Division as the new top-tier competition.
The league, set to be launched this afternoon (January 9), will be contested in northern and southern streams, each comprising 10 teams. The winners of the two streams will face off in a national championship final to crown Botswana’s champions. The overall winner will earn Botswana a spot in the CAF Women’s Champions League, offering local players a pathway to continental football.
Desert Race returns
to traditional June slotThe iconic 1000km Desert Race will return to its traditional June calendar slot under new local ownership and a new identity.
Now managed by Cyro Motorsport, the event will be staged as the 1000km Sarona Desert Race, restoring the full 1,000km distance after last year’s shortened Sarona Desert Race, which covered 500km and was held in April. Whilst the 2025 edition was praised for its course, it failed to attract the expected competitor numbers. The revived race will take place from June 19 to 21 in Jwaneng terrain. It will form part of the Botswana Off-Road Racing Championship and the Botswana Motorsport National Championship and is expected to draw competitors from across the region.
The return to the June date aligns with tradition, with the race historically staged during the third weekend of the month.
BFL set to appoint new CEOThe Botswana Football League (BFL) is once again without a chief executive officer following the departure of Billy Sekgororoane in December.
The vacancy leaves the BFL board tasked with appointing an interim replacement as they search for a long-term solution. The BFL CEO role remains one of the most demanding and high-profile positions in local sport, requiring stability, strong commercial acumen, and stakeholder management. The next appointment is expected to play a critical role in shaping the league’s governance and financial sustainability amid growing scrutiny of football administration.