MBABANE: The Premier League will expand to 16 teams in the 2025-25 season. While this is unrelated to the current crisis over the re-instatement of Manzini Wanderers and subsequent appeals by Moneni Pirates and Denver Sundowns, this expansion will bring relief to the league.
In an interview with the ever insightful Eswatini Radio Monday sports show, ex-PLE CEO Kenneth Makhanya in his outgoing interview said this was a consensus of all PLE teams.
Makhanya said the decision was considered purely on the need to strengthen Eswatini soccer to give teams at least 40 games per year while giving the national team, Sihlangu sufficient time to develop talent.
The decision followed a sports administration course undertaken by the PLE that highlighted the need for teams to play much more games than under the present arrangement.
“Our administrators attended administration course where they found that the number of PLE games does not support the growth and development of the sport because it is does not give Premier League players sufficient exposure. They considered that the current 14 teams provide too few games. A typical league should provide in excess of 40 games. Currently our 14-team PLE can only play 26 games per season. If we were 16, we would play 30 games which would give players that much more activity. Adding an additional two teams to 16 is not intended as a favour but a measure to comply with FIFA standards.”
“It’s true that our discussion to increase the number of teams coincides with the realization that the League stood to be hurt were it to lose certain teams. Otherwise, the two issues are not related because at the time we attended the administration course it was not clear what the outcome of the present league would be. At the time a significant number of games were still outstanding so no one knew who was in danger of relegation. At that point the relegation axe could have fallen on anyone.”
By June this year, there was already clear consensus on the League expansion.
“The 16-team League is a decided issue. The PLE has taken a vote on this issue. However, they decided to delay implementation until the current 2024-25 season is completed. In the meantime, it was decided to review the rules so that the decision be implemented during the 2025-26 season.”
Makhanya had also addressed the financial pressure that strains PLE teams, especially those in the MTN 1st Division.
“You need to consider that even the winner of the 1st Division League currently receives E180,000. Compare that to the cost of maintaining a club throughout the year as it plays to complete all 26 games, then you realize that the E180,000 does little to cover the cost of a team.”
Makhanya said they have taken up the challenge: “We are engaging with potential sponsors. Some of them are promising and seemingly ready to support MTN. The ideal position of course would be for a sponsor to take over the 1st division so that the championship 1st prize would be more than E180,000. We are working on this. There are promising sponsors. We are very happy that MTN has indicated that they would be happy for a co-sponsor who would take over the 1st division.
In a separate development, the PLE is working on initiatives to support the sustainability of PLE clubs.
“A committee chaired by Scorpion Nxumalo is sitting right now to look at strategies to secure monthly grants for teams. One of the options under consideration is to sell season tickets so that supporters who want to watch all games are able to pay in advance. While this strategy is still being refined, it’s success is contingent on individual teams to engage their supporters to commit to buy 500 seasonal tickets. This idea has been discussed and refined with team submissions and it this stage it is almost approved,” he said.
Jm/today/29.10.2024
