SOCCER – Football development in Eswatini will continue to struggle unless the country strengthens football programmes in schools, FIFA expert Serame Letsoaka warned during a presentation on the Amateur Football Environment held yesterday at Sibane Sami Hotel.
Addressing football administrators, development officers and local stakeholders, the expert stressed that schools provided the most important foundation for building a strong and sustainable football system.
He explained that many of the world’s successful football nations relied heavily on structured school football to identify and nurture young talent from an early age.
“Without school football, the growth of football in Eswatini will remain stagnant. Schools are where children first discover the game, learn basic skills and develop a passion for football. If that structure is missing, the entire football ecosystem becomes weak,” he said.
Letsoaka noted that organised school competitions helped create a broad talent pool from which clubs and national teams could identify and develop players.
In countries where football is thriving, he said strong partnerships existed between football associations, schools and community structures. During the presentation, participants discussed ways to revive and strengthen grassroots football in Eswatini.
The expert encouraged closer collaboration between the Eswatini Football Association (EFA), government ministries and educational institutions to ensure that football became a regular and well-organised activity in schools.
He also highlighted that grassroots football offered benefits beyond producing professional players, saying it helps young people develop discipline, teamwork and healthy lifestyles.
“Football must start where the children are and that is in schools,” he added.
If Eswatini invests in school football today, the country will see the benefits in stronger clubs, better national teams and a vibrant football culture in the future.
The presentation formed part of FIFA’s ongoing efforts to support the development of amateur and grassroots football structures across its member associations.
