In a statement shared with clubs yesterday (Tuesday) evening, the Botswana Football League (BFL) said teams will equally contribute towards match officials’ expenses as the league grapples with financial constraints. “…due to the prevailing financial challenges currently faced by the league, all participating clubs shall be required to contribute equally towards match officials’ costs in order to ensure that league matches proceed as scheduled,” the statement reads. The measures come as the league prepares to resume on January 16, with the BFL opting for a shared-responsibility model in the face of limited revenue streams and rising operational costs.
The league indicated that the contributions will be standardised, with no distinction between home and away teams. The development highlights the continued financial strain under which local football operates, with clubs already battling sponsorship shortages and inconsistent gate takings. Whilst the new measures add to clubs’ financial obligations, the BFL has maintained that it is necessary to safeguard the integrity and continuity of the competition.
Despite the challenges, the league has ruled out postponing fixtures, insisting that the season will proceed as planned. As teams return to action this weekend, the new matchday contribution measures underscore a sorry financial reality in local football. According to a report elsewhere in this publication, various district councils announced that a one-bedroom home now costs over P130,000 more, a near-unthinkable 32% increase.
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This isn’t just a minor adjustment, but a devastating blow to the dream of affordable home ownership for ordinary citizens.What is most alarming is not just the scale of the increase, but the profound confusion it has exposed. Minister Ramogapi has publicly…
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