Seabata Mahao
With Setsoto Stadium’s continued unavailability for hosting official international matches, Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) is faced with a daunting task of securing alternatives venues outside Lesotho for the national team, Likuena’s ‘home’ ground.
Mokhosi Mohapi, the Secretary General of LeFA has stated that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has requested Member Associations (MA) to confirm the stadiums they will use for home matches in September, October, and November.
The directive comes ahead of Likuena’s qualifiers in the 2026 Morocco Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), where Lesotho is grouped with Morocco, Central African Republic (CAR), and Gabon.
In a recent statement, LeFA emphasised the urgency of securing venues, and noted it has already made inquiries regarding available venues and is awaiting information from CAR to finalise the list.
Mohapi highlighted the complexity of decisions based on where CAR will choose to host Likuena’s matches.
“If CAR hosts Lesotho in Morocco, and we decide to host Morocco in Durban or Bloemfontein, South Africa, Morocco’s team will likely charter a plane. In contrast, Likuena, without the support of the government of Lesotho, would face a multi-stop flight route including Morocco, Paris, Dubai, Addis Ababa, Johannesburg, and finally Bloemfontein or Durban,” Mohapi explained.
He expressed concerns over the travel fatigue and logistical challenges Likuena would face compared to Morocco’s chartered flight advantages. Mohapi also outlined scenarios if CAR opts to host in Cameroon, emphasising the financial considerations for hosting matches.
“We have to carefully evaluate the cost implications, considering it costs close to M1 million to organise a match attended by 60 to 100 people at most. This is a time when the Government of Lesotho is not funding LeFA directly,” Mohapi noted.
He underscored the importance of considering various factors, including financial returns and player welfare, depending on CAR’s hosting decisions and match schedules.
LeFA’s Marketing and Communications Manager, Mikia Kalati, added that the host locations will be announced once all arrangements are completed.