Mr. BFA president act on the Mares

Mqondisi Dube | Tuesday October 20, 2026 11:06

Since the team qualified for back-to-back WAFCON finals, alarm bells have been ringing, and hopefully, they have not been ignored. The latest Mares capitulation came during the 2028 Olympic Games qualifiers against Tanzania, where the local girls were badly exposed, particularly in the return leg. After restricting Tanzania to a 1-0 win in Gaborone, the floodgates opened in Dar es Salaam, where the Twiga Stars plundered six goals, turning up the volume on the alarm bells. The warning signs can no longer be ignored, and the Botswana Football Association (BFA) needs to show leadership and act.

In an interview with Mmegi Sport, Mares coach Gaoletlhoo 'Ronaldo' Nkutlwisang hinted at deeper problems within the squad. Her comments painted a grim picture, with divisions apparently persisting in a team rocked by a mutiny in February. It appears that, between February and now, no lasting solution has been found to the Mares' problems, and the BFA needs to act. The association is now left with a team that has no immediate competition to look forward to following its elimination from the Olympic Games qualifiers.

To rub salt into the wound, nations such as Malawi, which were once almost on par with the Mares, are making significant strides. Malawi will be making their first appearance at the World Cup. Malawi are heading to their first World Cup finals and remain in contention in the Olympic Games qualifiers after hammering Zimbabwe 9-0 on aggregate. This is a team on the ascendancy, contrasting sharply with the situation in the Mares camp. Clearly, there is a need to recalibrate and take a different route, as the current experiment appears to have run its course. Nkutlwisang has called for an injection of younger players to replace an ageing squad. There appear to be cliques within the team, and this should not be allowed to continue.

The BFA cannot simply watch and wish the situation away. The association is sparing the rod and spoiling the child, especially given that similar problems have surfaced in the past. The national team needs hungry players who understand what it means to sweat blood for their country. The national team camp should not be a breeding ground for cliques or indiscipline. The association should come down hard on players who undermine those entrusted with running the team. Otherwise, the results on the pitch will continue to reflect the state of affairs off it.

The Mares were once at the peak of their game, threatening the established order in Southern African women's football, but their decline has been swift. The authorities must therefore act, and act decisively, as the situation is already spiralling out of control.