21 Aug 2025

Botswana Football Association (BFA) president Tariq Babitseng has revealed that the senior women national football team, The Mares have climbed FIFA rankings, moving from position 153 to 146 following their performance at the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), which was held last month.

Speaking at the team’s prize money award ceremony in Gaborone on August 20, Babitseng said the results were a statement of progress, discipline and determination. The Mares players were each rewarded with P33,000 for their performance at WAFCON, while technical staff each got P15,000. The incentives were from the business community and BFA, which dedicated US$75,000 from the WAFCON US$150,000 prize money for rewarding the players.

Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sport and Arts, Boineelo Hardy said The Mares’ success reflected government’s commitment in advancing sport and arts at national level. She said their achievements were testament to the team’s discipline, resilience and exemplary representation of Botswana on the continental stage. She further said The Mares players were role models and that their perseverance, discipline and teamwork led to national and continental recognition.

“What The Mares did is what is called top notch national diplomacy. Thank you The Mares,” she said.

Hardy also highlighted that the ministry was working on a number of policies aimed at improving conditions of national teams, elite athletes, officials, sponsors and other dedicated stakeholders in the sport fraternity.

Botswana National Sport Commission chairperson, Marumo Morule hailed BFA for dedicating part of the WAFCON prize money to reward the players, saying that proved that athletes’ efforts and sacrifices mattered. He also said they were grateful for government’s P11million investment on The Mares. He said they wanted The Mares’preparations impactful, as they had to engage people with the skills, competencies backed by training.

First National Bank Botswana Communication and Public Relations Manager, Boga Chilende-Masekb said they came on board as partners in 2018 and the team team had shown growth. Chilende-Masebu said The Mares carried the national flag with dignity when they played in the continental competition. 

With every pass and sprint, she said players proved that Botswana also belonged to the continental stage, adding that beyond the statistics, the real story was the team’s resilience, passion and determination that inspired every girl child to aspire for greatness. ENDS