Reigning Vodacom Premier League (VPL) champions Lioli Football Club (FC) will travel to Namibia for warm-up fixtures against African Stars (Namibia), Young Africans (Tanzania), and Pedro Athletico de Luanda (Angola), pending final clearance from the Lesotho Football Association (LeFA).
The Teyateyaneng-based side is preparing to step onto the continental stage for their CAF inter-club competition debut later in the year.
The announcement was made during a press conference held earlier this week at the club’s headquarters in Teyateyaneng.
Club president Lebohang Thotanyana confirmed that Lioli has officially registered for the upcoming CAF competitions, a significant achievement that signals the club’s ambition to compete at the highest level in Africa.
“This is a proud moment for us as a club and for the nation. Lioli is ready to compete at the highest level in Africa. Our preparations begin in earnest,” said Thotanyana.
Preparations are already underway, with training scheduled to commence immediately. Due to the absence of stadia in Lesotho that meet CAF requirements, Lioli will host their home fixtures at Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein, South Africa.
The club’s CAF campaign will run alongside its domestic commitments. Lioli is also set to participate in the Alliance Insurance Top 4 Cup in August, where both the men’s and women’s teams will compete in line with CAF’s requirement for clubs to field women’s teams in national competitions.
Lioli’s recent form provides a strong foundation for their continental ambitions. The club clinched the 2024/2025 VPL title, their second consecutive league triumph, and also lifted the T.J. Nthane Foundation Cup in June.
To celebrate these achievements, Lioli will host an awards ceremony this Saturday to honour the players, technical team, and club officials. The event has been allocated a budget of M200,000.
“This celebration is more than just a party, it is about recognising excellence, commitment, and hard work,” said Thotanyana.
The club also revealed a new kit partnership with South African sportswear brand Umbro, which will supply official team kits and enable the marketing of branded merchandise as part of a broader fundraising initiative.
Head coach Bongani Maseko used the platform to announce several key squad changes ahead of the new season. Lioli has secured three new signings on two-year contracts, Botshoko Sekai (South Africa, North West), Pontšo Moabi (from Matlama FC), Hlomelang Lebina (former Linare FC)
Departing the club are talented midfielder-attacker Teboho Masuoane, and long-serving defender Thadea Moketo.
“We identified specific areas that needed improvement and brought in experienced players with a strong competitive edge,” said Maseko.
The CAF inter-club competitions are expected to kick off in September, with both first and second leg matches set to take place before the start of the 2025/2026 VPL season.
Seabata Mahao is a general news reporter with special focus on Business and Sports. Started working at Newsday in 2021. Working in a team with a shared goal is what I enjoy most and that gives me the motivation to work under any environment leading to growth.
