Rollers' new stadium not registered for CAF
Kabelo Boranabi | Friday August 16, 2019 12:33
The club last month said the 10,000-capacity venue in Tlokweng will be used for continental and league matches in the upcoming season. However, the National Stadium was announced as the ground to host the CAF Champions League preliminary round second leg fixture against Young Africans to be played next weekend. to page 47
Rollers president, Jagdish Shah told Mmegi Sport that the new stadium has not been registered for CAF games. “Last week we sent an application to CAF through the BFA (Botswana Football Association) to use the stadium.
The process will take 45 days for CAF to approve our application,” said Shah.
“So at the moment we will be looking at alternatives for the champions league games.”
Shah, however, said the club would not incur costs as the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) has granted them a special waiver for the National Stadium. “The Ministry (of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development) and the BNSC have given us a discount to use the stadium since this is an international game,” said Shah. The new Royal Aria Stadium is the first privately owned football facility in the country.
The arena is at the centre of a naming rights bidding war, with an official name expected to be announced in the near future.
“We have received a few proposals for the naming rights, but it is something I would not say much on at this moment. A name is to be announced to the public once we have concluded everything,” added Shah. Meanwhile, Popa have signed Simisane Mathumo on a two-year deal.
Mathumo left The Blues in January for the Free State Stars but has retuned after the club that has since relegated to the second tier league released him.