All players head to Gobabis for 2024 Nedbank-Namibian Newspaper Cup
By Adolf Kaure.
The Namibia Football Association and Netball Namibia have launched the 22nd edition of the Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup earlier this week at the Nedbank Campus in Windhoek.
The Omaheke Region was granted the bid to host the event in Gobabis from Friday 29 March to Monday 01 April.
The headline sponsor, Nedbank Namibia is back to compliment The Namibian Newspaper holding the naming rights of this extraordinary youth Under-20 football and netball competition.
The competition provides a platform for Namibian youth to exhibit their skills on football stadia and netball courts, bringing all 14 regional football and netball teams together.
The government is a critical stakeholder as it provides secure transport from the homes of the athletes in the other regions to and from Omaheke Region.
The Deputy Minister of Sport, Youth and National Service, Hon. Emma Kantema-Gaomas said that the youth Under-20 football and netball competition is more than an exhibition of sport.
“It is an extraordinary event that unites people, that builds teamwork, and increases resilience that defines us as Namibians, as we are now confronted by an unprecedented incident concerning the untimely passing of the late patron of the NFA, Dr Hage G Geingob, whose death we still don’t know how to deal with and cannot come to terms with.”
Nedbank Namibia Managing Director, Martha Murorua expressed her gratitude for sponsoring the event once more. “As an organization, we exercise careful consideration in selecting the projects we invest in, ensuring that they align with and reflect our company ethos.”
“Having played a pivotal role in the Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup from 2015 to 2018, we experienced firsthand how the tournament’s impact transcends the sports field, leaving a lasting impression on the lives and livelihoods of all participants.”
“Our investment into the Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup represents our single largest investment into any of our other key sponsorship properties, and thus solidifies just how much we value the tournament,” said Murorua.
Netball Namibia President, Rebekka Goagoses, stated that the event has helped to grow the sport of netball.
“We have been using this competition to train umpires, who have now reached an international standard. During the same competition, we have also identified talented athletes who have graduated from the junior level to the senior level.”
“This competition works very well for us as we can easily identify talent as they all gather at one place for a long weekend of action,” said Goagoses,
Speaking at the same event was NFA Vice President, Jakobus Markus, who said, “NFA is proud to be part of this noble initiative; even more so having sponsors such as Nedbank, The Namibian Newspaper, the Ministry of Sport, Youth and National Service and Coca Cola.”
“The Nedbank-Namibian Newspaper Cup is the pinnacle of youth football and netball development, pulling all 14 regions to one central point in the Omaheke Region. Gobabis town will be filled to the brim by football and netball players, officials, administrators, referees, sponsors, small-and-medium enterprises, selling food and beverages over four days,” Markus stated.
The launch coincided with the draw which determined how the teams will face off in the group stages.
Draw for Football:
Group A: Zambezi, Oshikoto, Hardap and Khomas;
Group B: Kavango East, Kavango West, Oshana and Khomas;
Group C: Otjozondjupa, Ohangwena and Omusati;
Group D: Karas, Erongo and Omaheke;
Draw for Netball:
Group A: Ohangwena, Otjozondjupa, Kavango West, Oshana, Omusati, Kunene and Karas;
Group B: Hardap, Khomas, Erongo, Oshikoto, Kavamgo East, Zambezi and Omaheke.
Present at the draw of the Nedbank-Namibian Newspaper Cup are from the left, The Namibian Editor, Tangeni Amupadhi; Gobabis Mayor, Councilor Melba Tjozongoro; Vice President of the Namibia Football Association, Jacobus Markus; Otjinene Regional Councilor, Katjizeu Erwin; Netball Namibia President, Rebekka Goagoses; and Chief Administrator of the Namibia Sport Commission, Freddy Mwiya. Seated from the left are Omaheke Governor, Pijoo Nganate; Deputy Minister of Sport, Youth and National Service, Hon Emma Kantema – Gaomas; and Nedbank Namibia Managing Director, Martha Murorua. (Photograph courtesy of The Namibian)
