Botswana Minute.
Friday, 16 October 2026
Botswana’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Friday, 16 October 2026
Gaborone—:—London—:—New York—:—Beijing—:—
Botswanan press · Person

Tariq Babitseng

Also known as: President Babitseng · BFA President Tariq Babitseng

Botswana Football Association president and Council of Southern Africa Football Associations president, elected unopposed to COSAFA leadership in May 2026.

2026-04-282026-10-16
Share on WhatsApp

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

  1. April 2026

  2. Weekend Post

    … The Sport Administrator of the Year category offers a contest of boardroom influence, featuring table tennis president Kudzani Motswagole, bowling president Marea Modutlwa, and Botswana Football Association president Tariq Babitseng. …

    Athletics Leads the Pack in BNSC Awards Nominations
Sport

Nine Batswana appointed to COSAFA committees and boards

The News

Nine representatives from Botswana have been appointed to various Council of Southern Africa Football Associations committees and boards across finance, competitions, technical development, medical affairs, women's football, commercial, ethics and governance areas. Botswana Football Association president Tariq Babitseng said the appointments reflect Botswana's contribution to regional football development and administration.

8 October 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Thursday 8 October

  1. Nine Batswana appointed to COSAFA committees and boards

    Nine representatives from Botswana have been appointed to various Council of Southern Africa Football Associations committees and boards across finance, competitions, technical development, medical affairs, women's football, commercial, ethics and governance areas. Botswana Football Association president Tariq Babitseng said the appointments reflect Botswana's contribution to regional football development and administration.

    8 October 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Tuesday 22 September

  1. Botswana withdraws from joint 2028 AFCON hosting bid

    Botswana did not submit bid documents before CAF's deadline for a joint 2028 Africa Cup of Nations bid with South Africa and Zimbabwe, citing lack of funds, though football officials said no financial guarantees were required at this stage. The government decided hosting was not a priority, while football authorities view it as a missed opportunity since hosting burden would have been shared among three countries.

    22 September 2026 · Mmegi →

Sunday 13 September

  1. Botswana's inaugural Elite Top 8 football tournament launches with P1.5 million prize

    Eight of Botswana's top football clubs will compete in the inaugural Elite Top 8 tournament with a total purse of P3.05 million, featuring a P1.5 million championship prize for the winners. Quarter-finals pit Gaborone United against Nico United, Mochudi Centre Chiefs against Morupule Wanderers, Sua Flamingos against Orapa United, and Jwaneng Galaxy against Township Rollers, with finals scheduled for 9–11 October.

    13 September 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard →

Monday 24 August

  1. National Stadium regains CAF accreditation after refurbishment

    Botswana's National Stadium has regained CAF Category 3 accreditation following comprehensive upgrades to its playing surface, media facilities, and security infrastructure. The stadium was previously unusable for continental competition, forcing national teams and top clubs to play home fixtures 465 kilometres north in Francistown at significant financial and logistical cost.

    24 August 2026 · Weekend Post →

Tuesday 18 August

  1. National Stadium upgrade saves BFA P800,000 per match

    Upgrading the National Stadium to CAF Category 3 status eliminates the need to travel to Francistown for international fixtures, saving the Botswana Football Association approximately P800,000 per match in unbudgeted travel, security and accommodation expenses that can now be redirected to grassroots academies and local clubs.

    18 August 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Monday 17 August

  1. Mazottie's championship win exposes resource gap between regions

    Gaborone-based Mazottie FC won the DTC Botswana Women's Football Championship with a 7-0 victory over Dunamis and Daughters FC, but the lopsided result highlights systemic disparities in training facilities, infrastructure, and corporate support between capital-based and regional clubs.

    17 August 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Friday 14 August

  1. BFA reshuffles leadership and technical roles

    Botswana Football Association has announced administrative and technical changes to strengthen operations, appointing Bathusi Rathari as acting general secretary while a permanent position is recruited, and redeploying technical director Kaelo Kaelo to head of coaching and research. The association aims to ensure key positions are filled by people with appropriate skills and competencies.

    14 August 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

  2. Botswana to host CAF Women's Champions League COSAFA qualifier

    Botswana will host the CAF Women's Champions League COSAFA qualifier from August 20 to 29, becoming the third country to stage the tournament. Defending champions Gaborone United Ladies will compete in Group A alongside teams from Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Lesotho.

    14 August 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Tuesday 11 August

  1. BFA emphasises grassroots development as critical foundation

    Botswana Football Association president Tariq Babitseng told the association's ordinary general assembly that grassroots development is essential for improving the national sport's international impact and professional operations, stressing the need to create pathways for young players to develop. The assembly, themed "From Grassroots to Greatness," coincided with the BFA's 60th anniversary, with Babitseng calling on the association to consider its legacy for the next generation.

    11 August 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Monday 10 August

  1. National Stadium undergoes fresh CAF inspection for approval

    Botswana's National Stadium faces a new CAF inspection; BFA president Tariq Babitseng said success would allow the country to host its national team and CAF club competition matches in the capital, easing pressure on Francistown's Obed Itani Chilume Stadium, the currently only CAF-certified venue in the country.

    10 August 2026 · Mmegi →

  2. BFA president stresses long-term player development pathway

    Botswana Football Association president Tariq Babitseng has called on local football administrators to prioritize deliberate, long-term player development, warning that strategies and infrastructure are meaningless without a clear, synchronized pathway guiding talent from grassroots through senior levels. He emphasized that development requires time, structure, investment, and highly capacitated coaches, referees, and technical personnel.

    10 August 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Thursday 6 August

  1. Gaborone United faces Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho in COSAFA qualifier

    Gaborone United Ladies FC will host the CAF Women's Champions League COSAFA Qualifier from August 20–29, drawn in Group A with Zambia's ZESCO Ndola Girls, Zimbabwe's Herentals Queens, and Lesotho Defence Force. GU will play the tournament's opening match against Lesotho, while South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns anchor Group B.

    6 August 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Tuesday 4 August

  1. Gaborone United owner sets sustainable investment model for Botswana football

    Botswana Football Association president Tariq Babitseng credits Gaborone United owner Nicolas Zakhem with rewriting the script of fleeting investor involvement, pointing to infrastructure investment at the club's stadium beside the University of Botswana — which hosts over 70 percent of FNB Premiership matches and has created 110 jobs — as a blueprint for sustainable club ownership in a country facing severe football infrastructure shortages.

    4 August 2026 · Weekend Post →

Monday 27 July

  1. BFA hosts FIFA Forward workshop on governance and financial accountability

    The Botswana Football Association is intensifying its commitment to accountability in managing FIFA-funded projects through a FIFA Forward workshop designed to equip administrators with skills in planning, executing, monitoring, and reporting on development programs.

    27 July 2026 · Weekend Post →

Friday 10 July

  1. BFA mandates youth player quotas across all club levels

    The Botswana Football Association has introduced new play regulations effective June 30, 2026, requiring Premier League clubs to field at least three Under-23 and two Under-20 players in every match, with stricter quotas for lower divisions, and imposing disciplinary sanctions for non-compliance.

    10 July 2026 · Weekend Post →

Tuesday 23 June

  1. BFA launches Impact Programme to restructure football governance nationwide

    The Botswana Football Association, led by newly elected COSAFA president Tariq Babitseng, is implementing the BFA Impact Programme, a comprehensive initiative to overhaul governance, funding, and development of football across the nation. The programme introduces a tiered classification system for Regional Football Associations, categorizing them as Tier 1 (high capacity), Tier 2 (emerging), or Tier 3 (development), with tailored development responsibilities for each tier.

    23 June 2026 · Weekend Post →

Wednesday 20 May

  1. Botswana's Babitseng elected unopposed to lead COSAFA

    Tariq Babitseng, Botswana Football Association president, was elected unopposed to the top seat of the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) on May 17, becoming the second Motswana to lead the organization since its inception in 1992. Babitseng said he would retain his BFA position while ensuring both roles received proper attention, and noted that unity prevailed during the elective congress.

    20 May 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Friday 8 May

  1. BNSC holds annual Sport Awards to celebrate athletes and administrators

    Botswana's National Sports Commission is holding its Sport Awards ceremony, with Collen Kebinatshipi and Ntungamili Raguin among standout athletes competing for Sportsperson of the Year. The event, new CEO Olebile Sikwane's first since taking office in January, celebrates the country's sporting achievements including the successful World Relays 2026 and notable performances in athletics and tennis.

    8 May 2026 · Mmegi →

Wednesday 6 May

  1. Babitseng unopposed for COSAFA presidency election

    Botswana Football Association president Tariq Babitseng is set to become COSAFA's youngest president after emerging unopposed ahead of the May 17 elective assembly in Harare, pledging reforms aligned with CAF and FIFA standards.

    6 May 2026 · The Botswana Gazette →

Monday 4 May

  1. BFA regional elections set as prelude to 2028 congress

    The Botswana Football Association issued a writ of election for regional elections this week, a key step toward the 2028 elective congress. BFA president Tariq Babitseng, who received 24 votes in the previous 2024 congress, is expected to face a challenge in the next election.

    4 May 2026 · Mmegi →

Tuesday 28 April

  1. Athletics dominates BNSC Awards with eight nominations

    The Botswana National Sport Commission announced nominees for the 45th Botswana Sports Awards, with the Botswana Athletics Association securing eight nominations. Sprint athlete Collen Kebinatshipi is nominated for Sportsman of the Year, competing against footballer Goitseone Phoko and judoka Tumiso Phuthego, while athlete Oratile Nowe represents athletics in the Sportswoman of the Year category.

    28 April 2026 · Weekend Post →

Tariq Babitseng — Botswanan press coverage · Botswana Minute