News

Former Botswana National Referee Malepa Passes Away

Feb 18, 2021

Botswana football has been thrown into a state of mourning following the death of former FIFA accredited referee and instructor, Israel Malepa, who passed away on Monday, 15 February 2021. He was 49.

Malepa served football diligently, over the years, having officiated both locally and internationally. As a FIFA accredited referee from 2002 until 2009, he is fondly remembered for undergoing several football assignments at the FIFA, CAF and COSAFA stages. Malepa was elected Botswana Premier League (BPL) referee of the year in 2006.

He also served as a Referees Technical Instructor (FUTURO III instructor) and Referee Assessor (Elite assessor) respectively from 2009 until his untimely demise.

The Botswana Football Association (BFA) sends sincere and heartfelt condolences to the Malepa family, the football fraternity and the nation at large. May his soul rest in eternal peace. #RIPMalepa #WeAreBFA

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The Mares Display Heart In Tri Nations Challenge

Botswana’s senior women’s national football team recently concluded their campaign in the prestigious Three Nations Challenge, hosted by South Africa from 28 May to 3 June at the Lucas Moripe Stadium. The series saw spirited competition between Botswana, South Africa, and Zambia, as teams continued their preparations for the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifiers.

Despite narrowly missing out on the top prize, Botswana showed immense character and growth throughout the tournament. The Mares kicked off their campaign with a thrilling encounter against the African champions South Africa, narrowly going down 3-2 in a tightly contested match. The team bounced back with a determined performance against Zambia, securing a 1-1 draw and demonstrating resilience and tactical discipline.

Final Tournament Results:

South Africa 3–2 Botswana

Botswana 1–1 Zambia

South Africa 2–0 Zambia

South Africa’s Banyana Banyana were ultimately crowned champions of the series, winning both of their matches to take the top spot. The tournament offered valuable game time and experience for all participating nations, and Botswana’s technical team, led by Head Coach Alex Malete, will take key insights from these fixtures as they refine the squad for the crucial WAFCON fianals.