Bank Windhoek renewed its support of junior football in Namibia on Tuesday evening, announcing a N$150 000 sponsorship for the Ramblers u21 Football Tournament.
It is the second year that they will sponsor the event after a successful launch in 2022, while this year’s event will also include a tournament in Oshakati for the first time.
The Windhoek tournament will be held from 5 to 27 May at Ramblers Sports Club, while the Oshakati tournament will be held from 13 to 16 July.
Bronwyn Moodie of Bank Windhoek said they were proud to announce their continued support for the tournament.
“I am proud to say that not only does the Ramblers u21 men’s soccer tournament fill a crucial gap for players, but this tournament has proved itself to be so important that it catapulted the likes of Ngero Katua and Muzeu Bethel from Kasaona Football Academy, and Edmar Kamatuka and Tuli Nashixua from Ramblers to play for the national side,” she said.
“Soccer is part of our identity, as a continent and a country and Bank Windhoek is here to support the Ramblers u21 tournament claim its rightful place in the Namibian game,” she added.
Ramblers chairman Sedric von Turah said the tournament had raised widespread interest throughout Namibia.
“Little did we know that the success of the first edition of the tournament in 2022 would culminate in the exposure these youth academy players received at national level for the u23s and the Brave Warriors, while the first, second and premier leagues were not active at the time,” he said.
“With the leagues formally engaged now, the second edition of the Bank Windhoek u21 tournament had widespread interest from across the country and our engagement with Bank Windhoek culminated in the expansion of the tournament’s format to Oshakati as well,” he said.
“This tournament goes a long way to ensure that youth soccer gives a platform for our national team scouts and premier league teams to be offered the opportunity to see the talent showcased from where the next superstars can be selected from,” he added.
The draw for this year’s Windhoek tournament was also made on Tuesday with 10 teams due to battle it out in two groups of five each.
Group A consists of Kaizen Football Academy. Fortis Football Academy, African Stars, Athletic Club Football Academy and last year’s runners-up Ramblers, while Group B consists of the defending champions Kasaona Football Academy, DTS, Swallows, SKW and Namib Colts.
