(At SibaneSami Hotel)
EZULWINI – The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has deployed a high-level panel of five experts to Eswatini.
The experts are tasked with empowering the nation’s elite men’s and women’s leagues. The FIFA Club Professionalisation and Management Programme was officially inaugurated on Thursday at the SibaneSami Hotel by the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) President, Peter ‘Samora’ Simelane.
The landmark workshop drew a significant attendance, including the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) executive committee and representatives from both the MTN Premier League and the Eswatini Women’s Football League (EWFL).
The visiting FIFA delegation is headed by Lead Regional Officer David Fani, accompanied by Regional Projects Manager Christine Gama, Professional Development expert Federico Pereira and specialist consultants Pedro Correia (Governance/Finance) and Guido Baroli (Commercial/Strategy).
Delivering the opening address, President Simelane expressed the EFA’s profound gratitude to FIFA for its continued investment in football development programmes. He noted that this initiative is extremely welcome, as it will help local clubs fashion the resilient structures and operational standards seen in the top-performing leagues globally. He added that the programme is designed to bridge the gap between the country’s clubs and the world’s elite, ensuring they become viable businesses both on and off the pitch.
Simelane urged attendees to embrace this unique opportunity to be exposed to contemporary methods in governance and operational efficiency. He further expressed the country’s commitment to collaborating with FIFA to nurture the wider facets of club management.
*Full article available on Pressreader*
L-R: Guido Baroli, EFA President Peter ‘Samora’ Simelane, David Fani and Federico Pereira. ‘Samora’ presented the FIFA panel with Sihlangu replicas after a two-day workshop at SibaneSami Hotel. (Pic: Nimrod Hlophe)