Botswana Football Association (BFA) president Tariq Babitseng has challenged the local football fraternity to confront uncomfortable truths about the state of the game. He warns that Botswana cannot continue with business as usual if it hopes to compete consistently on the continental stage.
Speaking at the opening of the 2026 Football Pitso, held under the theme “Shaping the Future of Botswana Football Together,” Babitseng said the gathering was less about celebrating achievements and more about confronting the challenges that continue to hold Botswana football back.
Addressing delegates from regional associations, clubs, leagues, referees, coaches, players, sponsors and the media, Babitseng urged stakeholders to view the Pitso as a platform for honest reflection and meaningful reform.
“Today is not about the BFA. It is not about the President, the NEC, one league, one club or one region. Today is about Botswana football,” he said.
While acknowledging progress made over the years, Babitseng questioned why Botswana’s national teams continue to struggle for consistency, why local clubs rarely make a sustained impact in CAF competitions and why the country produces relatively few players capable of thriving in elite professional leagues.
He also highlighted the limited commercial investment flowing into the game despite football’s status as the country’s most popular sport, while raising concerns about player welfare and remuneration.
Babitseng further emphasised the need to safeguard players, particularly children, from abuse, exploitation and violence, insisting that player protection must become embedded in everyday football administration rather than exist only on paper.
“We cannot continue doing things the same way and expect different results,” he said.
At the centre of his address was the BFA’s 2036 Strategic Framework, a long-term roadmap intended to steer Botswana football beyond short-term thinking and election-cycle planning.
According to Babitseng, the strategy seeks to strengthen every layer of the game, from grassroots development and youth football to women’s football, infrastructure, governance and the competitiveness of national teams.
He argued that sustainable success will depend on building clear development pathways for players while simultaneously investing in coaches, referees, technical directors and administrators.
“We need a proper pathway from grassroots football through youth football into our senior leagues and ultimately into our national teams,” he said.
Infrastructure remains another key pillar of the strategy. However, Babitseng cautioned against viewing stadium construction as the ultimate measure of progress, arguing that facilities must serve communities, nurture talent and remain sustainable long after ribbon-cutting ceremonies.
He also emphasized the importance of creating a commercially viable football industry capable of attracting sponsors, investors and broadcasters. Achieving that, he said, would require stronger governance, greater professionalism, improved marketing and deeper engagement with supporters.
Babitseng further emphasised the need to safeguard players, particularly children, from abuse, exploitation and violence, insisting that player protection must become embedded in everyday football administration rather than exist only on paper.
The BFA president challenged delegates to ensure the Pitso produces practical outcomes rather than another set of recommendations that fail to materialise. He called on stakeholders to identify priorities, assign responsibilities and establish measurable timelines for implementation.
“Ten years from now, I want us to look back at this period and say this is when we decided to change. This is when good enough was no longer good enough.”
