By Ntokozo Magongo
MBABANE – The country’s Region V team will share some moments with former Chelsea and Ivory Coast Captain Didier Drogba during the 2025 African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 to be held in Windhoek, Namibia.
The African football legend, Drogba is expected to grace the upcoming games as a Special Olympics global ambassador, who is expected to participate in an exhibition match and the opening ceremony. The country will send a team to the games in different sporting codes and the teams are yet to be announced by the Eswatini Sport and Recreation Council (ESRC) and the Eswatini Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association (EOCGA).
This year’s Games will promote disability sport and the 11th edition of the multi-sport event is scheduled to run from July 4 to 13, 2025 across Windhoek and Swakopmund. Drogba is best-known for his exploits at English Premiership side Chelsea where he won the EUFA Champions League, four English Premier League titles, four FA Cups and three League Cups across two spells.
Meanwhile, there are enticing matchups to look out in games following the draw of some of the sporting codes on Sunday in Namibia. The draw was for the football, indoor volleyball, beach volleyball, netball and basketball disciplines.
In the Men’s Under-20 football tournament that will also be hosted under the Council of Southern African Football Association (COSAFA), Group B consists of Eswatini, South Africa, Zambia and Botswana, with Group B for women made up of Zambia, South Africa, Eswatini and Angola.
The Under-19 netball competition is for women only, with Namibia in Pool B alongside Zimbabwe and Botswana. Eswatini, Malawi, Zambia and South Africa are in Pool A.
