NFA reaches point of no return

NFA reaches point of no returnTigers drawn against Black Africa Some of Katutura’s traditional rivals have been pitted against each other in the Namibia Premier Football transitional league. Jesse Jackson Kauraisa









Windhoek

The Namibia Premier Football League (NPFL) has reached the point of no return.

This according to director Mabos Vries, who said the association can no longer call off anything.

It is for this reason Vries has insisted that the transitional league will kick-off next weekend, despite all the challenges that lies ahead.

Still facing the Covid-19 pandemic as well as a case at the Court for Arbitration for Sport and legal threats, Vries and the NFA have increased their efforts to get football started by 17 April as promised.

Facing a mammoth task, the director is eager to defy the odds by staying true to his word of getting the league started.

“We are excited about what we see in the pipeline and we have no doubt we play football on the football pitch and not in boardrooms.

“The matter does stand that football will start on 17 April,” he said during a press conference.

Bridge to better days

The transitional league serves as a bridge in preparation for the 2021 /22 football season, which is set to kick off in August 2021.

Vries said phase one will see teams playing on a round-robin basis and only playing against one another once.

This means each team will play five games and will be seated from one to six - depending on their collected points.

Phase two will see the teams advance to the next stage based on their position on the log, which ultimately places them into three leagues consisting of four teams, which will play each other on a home-and-away basis.

Gold, silver and bronze

The three leagues are the Golden League, the Silver League and the Bronze League.

The bounce back will kick off on the 17 April to 30 July, with the official launch to take place tomorrow at the NFA.

Meanwhile, Vries yesterday conducted a draw of the teams that will play in the transitional league.

The 12 teams that will battle for top honours have been divided into two groups: Group 1 comprises of Mighty Gunners, Tigers, Eleven Arrows, Young African, Tura Magic and Black Africa.

Group 2, on the other hand, is made up of Civics, Citizens, Julinho Sporting, Orlando Pirates, Young Brazilians and Blue Waters.