Defending champions target Keetmanshoop glory
The defending champions of the 2025 Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup in football and netball, the Kunene and Kavango East regions, say they are heading to the //Kharas Region to retain the trophies they won last year.
This year’s Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup will take place from 3 to 6 April 2026 in Keetmanshoop, //Kharas Region, bringing together under-20 football and netball teams from all 14 regions of Namibia.
Kunene Region football coach Simon Haradoeb said they resumed camp on Friday, 20 March, before participating in the Outjo Football Academy Under-20 Tournament last weekend, which they won.
Haradoeb said: ‘The victory in the tournament has lifted the spirit of the team. We selected and retained players from last year’s victorious squad. We have a 15-year-old striker as the youngest player in our team.’
He added that the aim is to go as far as possible in the tournament, noting that their group is tough, as it includes Zambezi and Omusati – two teams that play long-ball football and are very physical. Haradoeb added that they are currently training once a day during the week, with friendly matches scheduled for weekends.
Meanwhile, the assistant coach of the Kavango East netball team, Edeltraud ‘Letty’ Mupiri, said they will go to the //Kharas Region for one reason: to defend their title.
Mupiri said: ‘This is our trophy and we will fiercely defend it. Kavango East is a big netball region and we are planning on keeping this trophy.’
She added: ‘We have a balanced team of experience and youthful exuberance. When we recruited the team, we gave every Kavango East girl a chance to stake a claim for selection.’
Acting Namibian Football Association General Secretary Mabos Vries said everything is in place for the country’s biggest youth development tournament. He added that most regions have finalised their squads and are in camp preparing for the competition.
Netball Namibia president Juanita Witbeen said it is all systems go, with the federation now finalising player cards for all participating regions.
‘We are ensuring that regions have selected players within the correct age group. Our representatives have assured us that all preparations are progressing well and that teams are ready for the competition,’ she said.
Since its inception in 2001, the Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup has been widely regarded as the pinnacle of youth sport development in the country. It serves as a key bridge between grassroots talent and national representation.
Nedbank Namibia Communications and Public Relations Manager Selma Kaulinge reaffirmed the bank’s continued commitment to investing in youth development through sport.
‘The Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup brings the best talent to one location. It provides a rare opportunity for national team selectors and club scouts to identify players who might otherwise remain unnoticed in remote areas. It also introduces young athletes to high-pressure, competitive environments, helping them transition from school-level sport to professional standards,’ she said.
She added that the hosting model ensures that development extends beyond athletes to infrastructure, with host towns receiving government and private investment to upgrade facilities such as stadiums, floodlights and school hostels.
Kaulinge concluded: ‘The Nedbank Newspaper Cup reminds us that sport, like financial fitness, requires discipline, consistency and long-term planning. Through our #GetMoneyFit campaign, we are proud to support a platform that keeps our youth engaged in positive activities while building their confidence for the future.’
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