BY GCWALISILE MHLABANE
MANZINI – The inclusion of women in football development is essential to building a stronger and more representative sport in Eswatini, Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs Bongani Nzima has said, calling for greater opportunities for female players and increased attention to women’s football and grassroots development.
Nzima made the call during the launch of the strategic partnership between the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) and Radisol Global Investments (RGI) at The George Hotel in Manzini on October 15, 2026.
The minister said football development should ultimately improve opportunities for players, particularly young people seeking to develop their talent and progress in the game. He stressed that efforts to strengthen football must also create space for women to participate and benefit from the sport’s growth.
“At the heart of football are our players. We must ensure that the development of the game ultimately creates better opportunities for them,” Nzima said.
He identified stronger youth pathways, coaching, scouting, technical development and player welfare as important areas in building a sustainable football system.
Nzima also highlighted women’s football as an area requiring continued attention, emphasising that grassroots development should form part of the country’s wider football ambitions.
“We must also continue creating space for the growth of women’s football and grassroots development,” he said.
The call underscores the importance of ensuring that female players are included in initiatives aimed at advancing football in Eswatini. Opportunities to develop skills, access coaching and progress through the game are important in helping women and girls participate more fully in football.
Grassroots development can also help widen participation by giving young people opportunities to discover and nurture their sporting abilities. Stronger development pathways, according to the minister’s remarks, are important in helping talented players advance while improving the overall quality of the game.
Beyond competition, Nzima said football could contribute to youth development, social cohesion, education, health, employment and community initiatives.
He said the value of partnerships in football should not be measured only by financial outcomes, but also by the opportunities and benefits they create for people.
The partnership appoints RGI as the PLE’s Strategic Commercialisation and Development Partner. Its launch brought attention to the broader development of football, including the role of clubs, players, supporters and communities in building the sport.
Nzima described clubs as fundamental to the football ecosystem and called for collective responsibility among football administrators, Government, businesses, players, coaches, the media and supporters.
While no specific programmes for women’s football were announced at the launch, the minister’s remarks placed women’s participation and grassroots development among the issues that should feature in Eswatini’s football development efforts.
Greater inclusion would help ensure that the growth of the game creates opportunities for a wider pool of talent and that women and girls have a meaningful place in the future of Eswatini football.
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