18 Jun 2026

Preparations for the 2026 Confederation of Universities and Colleges Sports Associations (CUCSA) Games are progressing smoothly and have reached an advanced stage, organisers have said.

The regional tournament will be held from June 28 to July 5, with nine countries having officially confirmed their participation.

Botswana will host sports delegations from Angola, Lesotho, eSwatini, South Africa, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The Games will feature competition in eight sporting codes: athletics, basketball, chess, football, volleyball, netball, tennis and table tennis.

Local Organising Committee chairperson, Keorapetse Setlhare, said key operational areas had entered their final implementation phase ahead of the tournament.

He said major logistical challenges had already been addressed, with arrangements for athlete accommodation and catering nearing completion.

According to Setlhare, the main athletes’ village will be located at the University of Botswana, while various sporting venues across Gaborone were fully prepared to host the competitions.

“As you know, we have good sports facilities in our country. We will be utilising the exceptional Royal Aria complex, which has the unique infrastructure to host more than four sporting codes simultaneously,” he said.

Setlhare said the tournament would make use of some of Gaborone’s premier sporting hubs.

He said athletics events would be held at the University of Botswana Stadium, while plans were being finalised to stage the opening ceremony at the UB Arena.

To ensure smooth movement between venues, Setlhare said comprehensive transport arrangements had been put in place.

He said the strategy would provide dedicated transport services for athletes, match officials and heads of delegation throughout the tournament.

Setlhare further said organisers were prioritising safety and contingency planning as the arrival of large sports delegations draws closer.

“We are completely ready. Every aspect of safety, emergency medical response and event security is being tightly coordinated with relevant national authorities and professional service providers,” he said.

He also said 100 volunteers from the Sport Volunteers Movement had already undergone training and would assist during the games. ENDS