Mamello Rakotsoane and Refiloe Molise
Football fever is set to grip the nation this Saturday as all roads lead to the Bocheletsane Stadium in Mantšonyane, where the giants of the Vodacom Premier League (VPL) will battle it out for the coveted M400 000 prize in the People’s Cup finals.
Financially backed to the tune of M1.1 million by Sam Matekane Foundation and Econet Telecom Lesotho, the tournament not only provides financial incentives but also promotes grassroots football and youth empowerment.
Defending champions Bantu, alongside Lioli, Matlama and Lijabatho, have secured their places in the final stages after topping the public voting charts.
The draw, conducted last week, has set up a thrilling day of football action, beginning with the semi-finals in the morning.
Lioli, who amassed the highest number of votes at 162 122 will open proceedings against Lijabatho at 09:00 hours. This will be followed by a blockbuster clash between Bantu and Matlama at 11:30 hours.
The winners of these two encounters will then meet in the final at 15:00 hours to determine the 2026 People’s Cup champions.
This year’s tournament returns to its original four-team format after last year’s expansion to eight teams failed to attract the expected level of public participation. Matlama finished second in the voting with 156 038 votes, followed by Bantu with 150 231, while Lijabatho secured the fourth spot with 139 118 votes.
The stakes are high for all four teams, each with its own motivation. For Lijabatho, the tournament presents a golden opportunity to secure their first-ever major trophy in the topflight.
Such a victory would validate the club’s ambitious investments in players and the appointment of head coach James Madidilane. Having only gained promotion to the elite league six years ago, lifting the trophy would mark a historic achievement.
Bantu, on the other hand will be determined to defend their title. However, their ambitions stretch beyond the People’s Cupas they remain firmly in contention for the league championship. Balancing both competitions will be a test of depth and resilience for ‘A MatšoMatebele’.
Matlama face a similar challenge, with their semi-final clash against Bantu effectively serving as a knockout between two title contenders. For either side, failure to progress could mean missing out on one of their last realistic chances to secure silverware this season despite their title race.
Meanwhile, Lioli comes to the tournament with confidence as they will be looking to settle their score against their rivals.
Summary
- Football fever is set to grip the nation this Saturday as all roads lead to the Bocheletsane Stadium in Mantšonyane, where the giants of the Vodacom Premier League (VPL) will battle it out for the coveted M400 000 prize in the People’s Cup finals.
- The draw, conducted last week, has set up a thrilling day of football action, beginning with the semi-finals in the morning.
- For Lijabatho, the tournament presents a golden opportunity to secure their first-ever major trophy in the topflight.
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