Eswatini back for second shot at CAF African Schools Football Championship

Eswatini will return for a second successive year when the CAF African Schools Football Championship | COSAFA Qualifier 2024 is staged in Walvis Bay, Namibia from October 11-13.

Having missed the inaugural zonal qualifier in Malawi in 2022, Eswatini debuted in Harare, Zimbabwe 12 months ago and will have learnt a lot from what was a tough challenge on the pitch.

Their boys side took a single point from four games following a 0-0 draw with Botswana that was followed by defeats to Mozambique (0-2), Zimbabwe (1-3) and Malawi (0-2) and a group stage exit.
The girls’ team did not manage a point after they lost to Botswana and Zimbabwe by 5-1 margins, and to Mozambique (1-2) and Malawi (0-2).

But there will have been many lessons learnt from the experience and while a mostly fresh crop of players will enter the Under-15 competition this year, the team will perhaps be that much more prepared for the challenge.
Eswatini has been running a FIFA Talent Development Scheme (TDS) in the country in a bid to identify and nurture top young players in the country and prepare them adequately for international and domestic careers.

“This (ASFC) competition is important for our team because it will present the players with an opportunity to be exposed to international participation at a tender age, thus serving as an inspiration and driver for the players to focus on their skills development to continually be a feature until they achieve their elite/professional status,” the Eswatini Football Association said previously in a statement.

“It is hoped that from this experience, the players will be able to learn about the contemporary demands and trends of international football at an early stage of their formative years towards being elite/top players, as they will be playing in a diverse environment.

“This will be a good test for them in terms of behaviour on and off the field of play, individual qualities, and game systems and tactical flexibility.

“Their level of adaptability and perseverance will also be enhanced. All these capabilities are essential in as far as development is concerned.”
The draw for the nine-team tournament will be made in Walvis Bay ahead of the competition.

ESWATINI’S PAST RESULTS
BOYS
2022: Did not enter
2023: Group Stage

GIRLS
2022: Did not enter
2023: Group Stage