🇳🇦NamibiaSouthern Africa
Acfa Football Academy to compete in Mad Cup 2026 in Spain
via The Namibian2 min read
The Athletic Club Football Academy Acfa from Windhoek, Namibia, is sending 50 young footballers and eight officials to Madrid, Spain, next week to participate in the Mad Cup 2026. The academy will be represented by its under-12, under-14, and under-15 teams in the tournament, which runs from June 18 to 25 and is expected to host over 800 teams globally. According to Ricky Averia, Acfa's technical director, their participation follows successful trips to the Gothia Cup in Sweden and the Dana Cup in Denmark last year. The academy, departing Namibia on June 17, has been preparing for nearly a year, with a dedicated travel committee handling fundraising, visa applications, and logistics. The Mad Cup, organized in partnership with Atletico Madrid, is anticipated to feature youth teams from major European clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, and Porto. Averia emphasized that these tournaments are crucial for player development, offering not only football enhancement but also life skills. For many of the young players, approximately half of the traveling squad, this will be their first time leaving Namibia. Acfa is actively seeking sponsors to ensure that talented players are not excluded due to financial constraints, aiming to provide opportunities to experience different football cultures. While competitive, the tournament will also serve as a benchmark for the academy's progress against international opposition. Averia highlighted that international tournaments help creat
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
Olympic chief Kirsty Coventry expressed confidence on Wednesday regarding the successful hosting of the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles, despite acknowledging “challenges” faced by the World Cup. The football tournament, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, is set to begin on Thursday. The build-up to the June 11-July 19 competition has been affected by fans, a top referee, and team officials being barred from the event. A record 48 teams and millions of supporters are expected for this World Cup. The refusal of US immigration authorities to allow Somali referee Omar Artan into the country highlighted concerns that US President Donald Trump’s immigration policy could impact the tournament. Coventry, president of the International Olympic Committee, stated, “I am confident that in two years we will be able to overcome a number of the challenges that the World Cup are facing right now.” She emphasized the importance of “collaboration and learning” and continuous work with the local organizing committee and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee to incorporate feedback from stakeholders. Coventry believes this process will lead to a successful LA 2028 Games, scheduled for July 14-30, 2028, during President Trump's presidency.
Namibia has not yet acceded to the United Nations High Seas Treaty, stating it will only do so once it has the capacity to implement its provisions and fully benefit from marine biodiversity protections beyond national jurisdiction. Graca D’Almeida, director of marine ecosystems and marine research at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, explained that international agreements come with obligations, and Namibia wants to ensure it can fulfill these before joining. She emphasized that Namibia recognizes the importance of international cooperation for sustainable ocean management, citing its collaboration with Angola and South Africa through the Benguela Current Convention. D’Almeida highlighted that the High Seas Treaty focuses on areas beyond national jurisdictions, which require capacity building to ensure Namibia can benefit from the agreement. A national committee, including stakeholders from the Ministry of Works and Transport and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, has been established to assess the advantages and challenges of joining the treaty and determine potential benefits. The High Seas Treaty came into force on January 17 after receiving 60 ratifications. Namibia welcomed the treaty in principle, acknowledging its potential contribution to global efforts to protect and conserve the high seas. Since Namibia did not sign the treaty at its adoption, it can now only join through accession. Marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jur
Energy Minister Modestus Amutse announced that international oil trader Vitol was awarded the tender to supply fuel to Namibia for the next three months because the company did not require government guarantees. Amutse explained that state oil company Namcor, despite offering a price 10 cents less than the basic fuel price BFP, was disqualified because it needed a guarantee to source oil. He clarified that Namcor is a spot buyer, not an international trader, and spot buying does not guarantee prices past a specific date. Other bidders, Starboard and SDAL Services Ltd, also required guarantees, which the government aimed to avoid. TotalEnergies submitted a bid with a price higher than the BFP. Amutse defended the arrangement with Vitol, stating it allows Namibia's wholesalers to procure fuel at a lower price without premiums, and that Vitol currently supplies 60% of fuel to Namibia's wholesalers. He also noted that arrangements are being made for a bulk supply process for fuel, and that the question regarding the competition commission's determination on Nasan Energies buying fuel from Vitol is under consideration.