Is this really what football fans deserve?

Mqondisi Dube | Tuesday September 1, 2026 10:03

But alas, there was still haggling in the boardroom, leaving local football to wrestle with its own “to be or not to be” moment. With just hours before kick-off, the club licencing process was reportedly still incomplete. What would have happened if one or more clubs failed to secure a licence at the eleventh hour? Is this what progressive 21st-century football administration looks like?

Was the First Instance Body (FIB), the organ responsible for the licencing process, not aware of the season’s scheduled kick-off date? Why are critical processes being left until the last minute, creating an impression of hurried decision-making and leaving clubs, players and supporters in limbo?

And what exactly does club licencing mean if outstanding issues can still hang over clubs on the eve of a new season? If, for instance, Township Rollers have outstanding matters before FIFA, how does the club satisfy the licencing requirements when clubs are expected to meet their financial obligations?

These are not trivial questions. Club licensing is supposed to be a mechanism for ensuring that clubs meet minimum standards before they are allowed to compete.

FIFA and national associations use licencing systems precisely to promote professionalism and good governance. So, are all clubs genuinely meeting the requirements, or has club licensing become little more than a box-ticking exercise?

These are questions football authorities must answer. Because when the season is only hours away and basic administrative issues remain unresolved, it is not just the clubs that are left exposed. It eats right into the credibility of the entire game, and fans, are the proverbial grass that suffers.

The basics must be done, and done right. Just when fans thought they had endured enough suspense over the league’s start date, the season finally kicked off only for them to be served another false start.

What was meant to be one of the day’s headliners on Saturday instead turned into yet another glaring display of the regular irritants that have taken local football hostage.

Township Rollers travelled all the way to Jwaneng with just seven players. Those familiar with the laws of the game could probably tell beforehand what was coming. And indeed, after just seven minutes, it was game over, with Rollers exploiting the rule that a match cannot continue when a team has fewer than seven players.

Rollers’ mission had been accomplished. But once again, like the grass caught between two elephants, it was the fans who were left frustrated and disappointed.

Bob Marley, and closer to home, the late Lucky Dube, once sang: “How long shall they kill our prophets while we stand aside and look?” The question resonates in a different way with the state of Botswana football today. How long can those who support and invest in the game continue to endure such frustrations?

Football needs to do better because if those who sustain the game are continually rewarded with uncertainty, eventually they may simply stop caring.