20 May 2025

Botswana Football Association (BFA) has launched official travel partners for the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON tournaments slated for Morocco in July and December respectively.

The partners, EPL Sports Promotions, Duiker Travels, Germstone, Rift Routes Travel Agency, Vincent Excellent Tours, AT & T Monnakgotla, and XL Skyways Travel, will facilitate  travel logistics for supporters wishing to attend the tournaments and watch the Mares and the Zebras in action.  .
Speaking at the launch in Gaborone yesterday, BFA president Tariq Babitseng said the  association’s  National Executive Committee had decided that the future of football in Botswana should be anchored in  a strong commercial foundation.
That, he said meant building structures, unlocking value and generating income that drove the game forward.
Mr Babitseng said the resolution gave birth to Lekidi Investments, a new commercial arm of the BFA, with the intention to turn football into a self-sustaining industry.
“Lekidi Investments is now operational. Its role is to identify every asset we own, commercialise it, and use the returns to power football development,” he said
Babitseng said the signing of Memorandum of Understanding  (MoU) with the travel partners was a practical example of that resolution in action, adding it marked the start of a new era of structured partnerships that go beyond visibility and into shared value.
“This is not just a travel coordination agreement. This MoU represents the launch of a national mobilisation platform, commercial vehicle created under the guidance of Lekidi Investments, designed to connect the passion of our people with the logistics, funding and reach needed to get them to Morocco,” he said.
Babitseng said BFA would be entering into more partnerships with companies, sponsors, service providers and development partners to raise funds for both the women’s and men’s national teams.
“This is deliberate. It is planned. And it is urgent. The Zebras and the Mares must be supported equally.”
Mr Babitseng noted that the Mares had delivered an impressive performance and they deserved to be supported with the same enthusiasm  and commitment.
“Through these partnerships including today’s MoU, we are ensuring that both national teams are prioritised as one united cause,” he said.
First National Bank Botswana, marketing Manager, Peo Porogo said as a bank, they believed in the power of sports, not just as a game, but as a platform for nation-building, youth empowerment, and shared prosperity.
“That is why we chose to invest in football, and more specifically, in The Mares, our national women’s football team. The Mares are more than footballers. They are symbols of strength, possibility, and of the untold stories of women rising on the pitch, in the boardroom, and in society,” she said
At FNB Botswana, she said they saw women’s sports as a powerful social force and a growing economic driver.
Porogo said that across the globe, including Africa, women football was setting viewership records, sparking conversation about equality, and creating opportunities in various sectors, from coaching to content creation.
Porogo stated that progress required partnerships, and their collaboration with BFA demonstrated what could be achieved through joint investment. ENDS