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Hotspurs Explains Why They Are Playing In Durban

  • July 22, 2024
  • 2 min read
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Hotspurs Explains Why They Are Playing In Durban

Nsingizini Hotspurs president Derek Shiba has explained the club’s decision to host their CAF Confederation Cup match against Stellenbosch FC at Moses Mabhida Stadium next month.

The first leg of the preliminary round is scheduled for 17 August at the 2010 FIFA World Cup venue. Given Eswatini’s proximity to Nelspruit, hosting the match at Mbombela Stadium might seem logical. Several Eswatini clubs, including the national team, have played there in the past. However, Eswatini is among 17 CAF member associations banned from hosting matches due to inadequate stadium facilities.

“We’ve made Durban our home,” Shiba stated at a press conference on Saturday. “Swati and Zulu people are closely related, and we feel at home here. We have strong ties to KwaZulu-Natal, including a Memorandum of Understanding we signed with AmaZulu president’s Sandile Zungu two years ago.”

Shiba emphasized the geographical and cultural similarities between the two regions. “Nelspruit and Durban are roughly the same distance from our club, but our roots are deeply intertwined with KwaZulu-Natal,” he explained.

The late Queen Mantfombi Dlamini, wife of the Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini ke Bhekuzulu, was from Eswatini.

Founded in 1984 after a friendly match against Tottenham Hotspur, Hotspurs secured their CAF Confederation Cup spot with a strong third-place finish in the previous season. The club has bolstered its squad with former Kaizer Chiefs defender Abel Chaklas Shongwe as a scout and aims to build its own stadium within the next three years.

Meanwhile, the first phase of the CAF registration for players was closed on Saturday.

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