28 Oct 2025

The forthcoming visit of FIFA president Gianni Infantino to Botswana scheduled for November 10 to 11 marks a pivotal moment for the country’s football aspirations.

In an interview, Botswana Football Association (BFA) president, Tariq Babitseng described the visit as a strong vote of confidence in Botswana’s football leadership and an opportunity to strategically unlock further development.

Babitseng said Infantino’s trip is a direct result of the high-level engagements he initiated upon assuming the BFA presidency.

He also viewed the visit as a reassurance of the world football governing body's seriousness about the global development of the sport, particularly showcasing its zeal for growth within the COSAFA region and Botswana.

“We have seen that our Under-20 team is doing well, we have qualified for AFCON and WAFCON back-to-back and our women’s team also did well at WAFCON against other African powerhouses. That alone is a clear indication that with the right support from all stakeholders and financial push, the country could do more,” Babitseng said.

He also said the primary strategic goal of the visit is to secure greater government participation in key football programmes. The BFA president was also keen to see a FIFA youth development programme piloted in Botswana because such ambitious projects required national support.

To facilitate that, he said they want Infantino to meet with government officials during the visit, with the hope that such engagement would enable the BFA to secure necessary government assistance to cultivate the significant talent pool the country possesses.

“By enlisting government support, the BFA aims to better treasure and nurture the nation’s rising stars,” he added.

He further said Infantino’s visit would also include an important accountability and appreciation of Lekidi and two other grounds which were built using FIFA funds.

“I believe this is right for the FIFA President to personally observe how this financial assistance has been utilised on the ground,” he said.

Moreover, Babitseng said the world football governing body’s steadfast commitment to Botswana was clear, a tradition previously affirmed by the first FIFA president to visit Botswana, Sepp Blatter, who made the trip in May 2013.

During his two-day stay, Infantino is expected to engage with key stakeholders and the BFA leadership on football development programmes as well as capacity-building initiatives and potential areas of strategic collaboration.

“This pivotal visit is poised to lay the foundation for a dynamic and talent-rich future for Botswana’s beautiful game,” Babitseng said. ENDS