History comes with responsibility – Babitseng
Boitumelo Khutsafalo | Tuesday August 11, 2026 10:09
Babitseng was recently elected unopposed as the president of the regional association. He said this was a historic moment, not only for him personally, but for the region, because this was the first time that such a process resulted in a president being elected unopposed. But history also comes with responsibility.
“That election is not something I see simply as an achievement. It is a challenge to me as a leader,” Babitseng admitted during the BFA ordinary general assembly on Saturday.
“It challenges me to ensure that COSAFA remains united, and that we work towards a stronger and more united region forever.”
The BFA president told the meeting that he intends to use every resource available to him to invest in the development of football across the COSAFA region.
“I have already begun engaging with presidents of our member associations and ministers in the region because there is something that concerns me deeply: football must be played in our countries. “At present, only 34 of the 54 African nations have the privilege of hosting matches at home,” he said.
Babitseng added that the fact that many countries in Africa cannot host matches at home is not something that should simply be accepted as normal.
“If we want to develop football across Africa, we must ensure that our countries have the facilities and infrastructure required to host football. And that cannot be achieved by football alone. It requires partnerships with governments,” he said.
Babitseng stated the BFA was grateful for the support that the Botswana government continues to provide to football.
He also praised the role Botswana has played in hosting “our neighbours who, at the moment, do not have facilities that meet the required standards for international matches”.
“This is a powerful reminder that we cannot develop our communities and our countries in isolation. The DNA of Africa is the same. When our neighbours struggle, we should not see it simply as their problem,” he said.
“When they need a place to play, we should find ways to help. When one country develops, it should create opportunities for others. That is the spirit of Africa that we must carry.
“And government also benefits from the growth of football. When football grows, communities grow. When young people have opportunities, society benefits. When we create jobs and businesses around football, the economy benefits. When our national teams succeed, national pride grows.
“So football and Government must continue to understand that we are partners in development,” he added.
During its ordinary general assembly on Saturday, the BFA also hosted Cameroonian legend, Samuel Eto’o, renowned South African football coach, Pitso Mosimane as well as football investor, Sibongile Marokana.