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COSAFA Cup dates shift to accommodate the Region's best footballers

Xinhua, February 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

Namibia who are current holders of the COSAFA Castle Cup and were set to host the 2016 tournament for the first time in May, will have to wait an extra month, following the decision by the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations to shift the tournament dates.

According to the Council, the tournament will still take place in Namibia but will now take place from June 11 to June 25. The Council said the change in dates from the month of May are due to the later than usual end to the South African Premier Soccer League, which contains key players from a number of nations in the region.

The top two divisions in South Africa end their league season on May 21, with the Nedbank Cup to be staged on May 28. Thereafter players will disperse across the continent for African Nations Cup qualifier duty, with the COSAFA Castle Cup 2016 to be held directly after those engagements.

"We have decided to move the dates of the COSAFA Castle Cup 2016 so as to give every competing nation the opportunity to bring their best squads to Namibia," Timothy Shongwe, Chairman of the Organising Committee, said.

Meanwhile, invitations have been sent to the 14 COSAFA member associations, with a deadline of March 11 set for the confirmation of their participation in the tournament. Endit