Eight days for Botswana to find a World Cup team

MQONDISI DUBE
Staff Writer | Friday January 22, 2010 00:00

Nearly 20 of the 32 teams coming for the World Cup have already confirmed that they will have their training camps in South Africa. The remaining sides are also expected to train in the host country. Failure to lure World Cup- bound teams is a huge blow for Botswana - and other southern African countries that have spent substantial sums upgrading infrastructure, particularly stadiums in preparation for the first Mundial in the continent.

Botswana has built two new stadiums - in Francistown and Lobatse - and renovated facilities at SSKB, UB and the National stadiums. The local 2010 World Cup taskforce has come under criticism for what is seen as lack of ambition in wooing teams to set base camps in Botswana. South Africa has indicated that it has enough training facilities to house all 32 teams within its borders. Last week, Botswana Football Association (BFA) president, David Fani, who is part of the 2010 taskforce, said they had not given up on luring countries to camp here.

He, however, conceded that they face a mammoth task as some Botswana stadiums are still under construction.

Fani said South African provinces had comparative advantage over southern African countries in terms of facilities. In Botswana only the UB Stadium is ready while renovation at the National Stadium will be completed in March. The new stadiums will be finished between March and April, which might be too late for teams that want to train in Botswana.