BY SIPHOSETHU MABUZA
MANZINI– Radisoll Global Investment Managing Director Puleng Magape has called on the corporate sector to invest in Eswatini football, saying commercialisation must go beyond sponsorship deals to improve the financial sustainability of clubs and create opportunities for young people.
Speaking during the launch of the strategic partnership between Radisoll Global Investment and the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE), Magape said clubs needed practical commercial support to manage the growing costs of running football operations.
She pointed to player remuneration, technical teams, transport, equipment, facilities and administration as some of the expenses that club owners and chairpersons must meet, often while managing increasingly demanding responsibilities. “Commercialisation must make a practical difference to the people who carry the daily responsibility of running our football clubs,” she said.
Magape argued that clubs could strengthen their financial positions by improving their digital presence, developing hospitality offerings and finding new ways to engage supporters. She cited that football leaders could benefit from exploring additional commercial opportunities.
She added that the sustainability of the Premier League depended on the health of the entire football system rather than the performance of its biggest clubs alone. “The strength of the Premier League will ultimately depend not only on the success of its leading clubs, but also on the health and sustainability of the wider football ecosystem,” Magape said.
Beyond club finances, she urged businesses to invest in initiatives that empower women and young people through football, highlighting the need to identify and nurture talent in communities beyond the country’s most visible centres. She mentioned that for places in the rurals, young people from these areas deserved opportunities to develop their abilities and potentially compete on the international stage.
Magape also outlined the potential for partnerships between football and other industries, suggesting that telecommunications companies could support youth football and digital skills, while banks could contribute through financial literacy programmes.
Her remarks placed emphasis on building a football environment in which investment supports not only the game itself, but also the people and communities whose development depends on it.
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