Botswana’s AFCON exit exposes domestic league fault lines, says BFA president

Structural reform, a 10-year vision and international partnerships now central to rebuilding effort Botswana’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign has forced a long-overdue reckoning with the structural weaknesses underpinning the country’s football system, as the president of the Botswana Football Association (BFA), Tariq Babitseng, calls for a comprehensive overhaul of the domestic league. In an interview with this publication, Babitseng said Botswana’s group-stage exit was not simply a reflection of technical shortcomings on the pitch, but a symptom of deeper systemic issues, chief among them the quality and competitiveness of the domestic league. “Our performance at AFCON exposed a fundamental structural issue that must be confronted honestly: the quality and competitiveness of our domestic league,” Babitseng said. “While the national team showed improvement, the tournament underlined that the league is not yet producing players who are consistently ready for elite continental football.” Botswana exited the tournament without a win, yet the margins of defeat were narrower than in previous AFCON appearances. Organisation was improved, defensive structure held for longer periods, and matches were more controlled. But Babitseng was clear that incremental improvement alone is no longer sufficient. “If Botswana is to move beyond participation and begin competing for results at AFCON, the domestic league must be strengthened and overhauled,” he said. “This includes improving competitiveness, coaching standards, player conditioning and match intensity. As a football nation, we must collectively ask how we can elevate our league so that it better prepares players for international demands.” Qualification earned, not accidental Babitseng was keen to stress that Botswana’s presence at AFCON was deserved and should not be undermined by the final outcome. The Zebras qualified from a demanding group that included established African powers. “It is important to state from the outset that Botswana’s qualification for AFCON was not by fluke,” he said. “We qualified from a very competitive group that included Egypt, who have since qualified for the World Cup and reached the AFCON semi-finals.” He added that Cape Verde, beaten home and away by Botswana during qualification, had also gone on to qualify for the World Cup. “At the same time, some traditionally strong teams, including Ghana, did not qualify for AFCON,” Babitseng said. “This context clearly shows that Botswana earned its place at the tournament.” For the BFA president, that qualification campaign demonstrated potential, but also raised expectations that now require a more robust structural foundation. Preparation under scrutiny While defending the team’s effort, Babitseng acknowledged criticism that Botswana were underprepared, particularly due to a lack of high-level international friendly matches. “That view is understandable and cannot be dismissed,” he said. “At this level, preparation is crucial, and ideally the team should have played more international friendly matches against strong opposition.” Such matches, he said, are essential for exposing players to the tempo, physicality and tactical complexity of elite football before tournament conditions arrive. “Despite these limitations, the team remained competitive and avoided the heavy defeats that characterised some of our past AFCON campaigns,” Babitseng said. “Going forward, the association accepts that preparation must improve, and we are committed to ensuring earlier planning and better exposure to quality opposition ahead of major tournaments.” From competitiveness to results Babitseng said one of the clearest lessons from the tournament was that Botswana are no longer being overwhelmed, but is still falling short in decisive moments. “One of the key lessons is that Botswana is no longer losing matches by large margins, but the challenge now is converting competitiveness into results,” he said. “At AFCON level, games are decided by small details such as concentration, decision-making and game management.” He identified inconsistency over 90 minutes, tactical awareness and physical conditioning as critical gaps. “These lessons will directly inform how we prepare, select and support the national team in future competitions,” he said. Domestic league at the centre of reform At the core of Botswana’s long-term challenge, Babitseng said, is the domestic league, which remains insufficiently competitive to sustain international success. “This is a critical issue that must be honestly addressed,” he said. “A strong national team is built on a strong domestic league, and at present there is clear room for improvement.” The BFA is now reviewing how the league can be overhauled, with focus areas including coaching standards, youth development pathways, club governance and overall competitiveness. “As Botswana, we must collectively find ways to raise the standard of the league so that it produces players who are better prepared for international football,” Babitseng said. A 10-year sustainability plan Beyond immediate reforms, Babitseng revealed that the association is preparing a long-term sustainability framework aimed at reshaping Botswana football over the next decade. “We are going to sit down and develop a sustainability plan as part of preparing for the future,” he said. “We have to evaluate where we are, where we want to go, and how we get there.” The national team coach has already submitted a detailed technical report following AFCON, which will feed into the broader review. “The coach has sent us a report, and that will help guide our thinking,” Babitseng said. “We want to make a 10-year plan for the future.” He described the moment as a turning point. “This is really the time for Botswana to rethink,” he said. Learning from Morocco, support from FIFA As part of that rethinking, Babitseng confirmed that Botswana is pursuing a memorandum of understanding with Morocco, widely regarded as one of Africa’s leading nations in sports and football development. “We are going to have an MoU with Morocco, one of the leading countries in Africa in sports development,” he said. “We hope they will help us, and we believe we can learn a lot from them.” Morocco’s recent success, underpinned by long-term investment in youth academies, coaching education and infrastructure, is seen as a model Botswana can adapt to local realities. In addition, Babitseng said FIFA has extended support for development initiatives. “FIFA has also extended a helping hand in development,” he said, noting that alignment with global best practice will be critical if Botswana is to close the gap on more established football nations. AFCON experience still invaluable Despite the disappointment, Babitseng emphasised that the tournament provided invaluable experience, particularly for a squad with many first-time AFCON participants. “For many players, this was their first exposure to high-level continental football,” he said. “Playing against teams that regularly qualify for AFCON and the World Cup accelerates development in a way that domestic football alone cannot.” He added that the experience sharpened players’ understanding of the physical, technical and mental demands of elite football, benefits that should filter back into the domestic game. Call for patience and unity Babitseng concluded with an appeal to supporters, acknowledging frustration but urging patience and unity behind a long-term vision. “The disappointment is shared, but it is important to recognise that progress is being made,” he said. “Qualification was earned in a strong group, performances have improved compared to the past, and the foundation for growth is visible.” He added: “We ask supporters to remain patient and united as we work to strengthen the domestic league, improve preparation and build a more competitive national team. With sustained effort and collective commitment, Botswana football can achieve greater success.”

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