K15 million participation fee for Cosafa Cup

Council for Southern Africa Football Association (Cosafa) has set K15 million as participation fee for this year’s Cosafa Cup to be held in South Africa from July 2-17.

A letter from Cosafa to member associations says the regional governing body made the resolution at its recent general assembly, to introduce the participating fee which should be paid by  May 31 2021.

This will be the first time for member associations to contribute towards the cost of the competitions.

The decision, according to Cosafa president Phillip Chiyangwa, is a response to the economic impact of Covid-19 pandemic which has led to drying up of sponsors for Cosafa’s eight competitions—the Cosafa Cup (men’s), Cosafa Women’s Cup, Under-20 men’s and women’s, Under-17 men and women’sfustal and beach soccer.

He  said the regional football governing body tried to ask for Covid-19 relief fund from Fifa, but it was rebuffed.

The Cosafa Cup failed to take place in October last year due to travel restrictions put in place amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Football Association of Malawi  competition and communications director Gomezgani Zakazaka said the association’s executive committee, which is expected to meet this weekend in Mangochi will discuss the Cosafa Cup participation.

Malawi is among seven Cosafa members that have never missed the Cosafa Cup since its introduction in 1997.

The other countries to have participated in all 18 editions of the tournament are Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The Flames were among the eight teams that participated in the inaugural tournament in 1997.