The Botswana women’s national team, the Mares, is arguably the finest success story in the history of Botswana football. From defying expectations to earning continental respect, the team has demonstrated what is possible when talent, belief and a collective purpose come together. Yet today, that very success story appears to be unravelling before our eyes.
The Mares have regressed since the change in the technical team. The stepping down of the previous coach appears to have disrupted a process that had taken years to build, leaving a team that looks increasingly like a shadow of its former self. The worrying part is that much of the core group of players remains. The talent has not suddenly disappeared, so what has changed?
On Tuesday, a 6–0 defeat to Tanzania provided a painful illustration of the team’s decline. Such a result is deeply concerning for a side that had established itself as a formidable opponent on the continent. Defeats are part of football, but performances that suggest a team has lost its identity demand serious introspection. The Mares we have come to know played with aggression, intensity and courage. They took the game to their opponents, pressed with conviction and competed without fear. The current team appears to have lost much of that character.
The warning signs have been there for some time. The infamous COSAFA camp, which reportedly culminated in an emergency team being assembled at the eleventh hour, exposed troubling weaknesses in preparation and administration. A national team cannot be expected to perform consistently when its preparations are compromised by organisational uncertainty. Unity cannot simply be demanded when players and technical staff are brought together under such circumstances. It must be deliberately built, nurtured and protected.
The Mares’ difficulties, therefore, cannot be reduced to tactics or personnel alone. There is a broader administrative question that the Botswana Football Association must confront.
The Mares have already shown that Botswana can compete with the continent’s best. That achievement should be the foundation upon which an even stronger women’s football system is built, not a brief moment of success followed by decline. With deliberate investment, sound administration and a clear technical direction, Botswana can once again aspire to be a powerhouse in African women’s football.
What happened to the process that helped establish the Mares as a respected force? Was there a proper transition when the previous coach stepped down? Was continuity adequately protected? And, more importantly, who is taking responsibility for restoring the team’s competitive identity?
This is a moment for the Association’s leadership to rise to the occasion. The high offices of football administration must recognise that the Mares are too important to be left to drift. A rescue operation is needed, beginning with an honest assessment of the technical transition, the team’s preparation, the atmosphere within the camp and the support available to the players. This should not be an exercise in assigning blame, but in identifying what has gone wrong and taking decisive corrective action.
Beyond the national team, Botswana must also confront the state of women’s football at grassroots and league level. A national team cannot remain competitive indefinitely on the strength of a talented generation alone. It needs a functioning domestic league, regular high-quality competition, proper player development and a sustainable pipeline of emerging talent. Investment in women’s football is not merely an obligation; it is an opportunity to strengthen Botswana’s standing in African football.
The Mares have already shown that Botswana can compete with the continent’s best. That achievement should be the foundation upon which an even stronger women’s football system is built, not a brief moment of success followed by decline. With deliberate investment, sound administration and a clear technical direction, Botswana can once again aspire to be a powerhouse in African women’s football.
The Mares represent more than eleven players on a pitch. They represent possibility, national pride and proof that
Botswana football can rise above its limitations. Their story has inspired a country, brought visibility to women’s football and demonstrated the rewards of believing in a team that dares to compete.
We cannot afford to watch that story end in painful decline.
The 6–0 defeat must be treated as a wake-up call, not merely another disappointing result. The BFA must act, the technical structures must be strengthened, and women’s football must receive the attention it deserves. The Mares need more than sympathy; they need leadership, direction and a credible plan for recovery.
The Mares are not beyond rescue. But the longer we wait, the harder that rescue may become.
