Maseru, March 28 — Acting Director of Sports in the Ministry Tourism, Sports, Arts and Culture Mr. Khotso Patsa says in the new financial estimates there is no budget for upgrading of Setsoto Stadium.
However, he said the Ministry is working hard to ensure that the facility secures a special budget specifically for that project.
Mr. Patsa therefore reiterated that the availability of Setsoto Stadium is uncertain as things stand.
‘I cannot therefore speculate when the Setsoto Stadium will be readily available for the senior national soccer squad Likuena to host its home games,’ he highlighted.
He said it was uncalled for for the Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) Secretary General Mr. Mokhosi Mohapi to accuse the Ministry for not having responded well to the letter from the Association that was demanding to know the progress made at the facility and when would it be available to host international sporting events.
Mr. Patsa said the budget that was allocated to Setsoto Stadium in the current financial year was unable to renovate all the structures which needed to be upgraded in order for it to meet the international requirements.
Meanwhile, LeFA Secretary General had stated that CAF has instructed all its 54 Member Associations to submit their home match day stadia in respect of the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers to be played during the FIFA period for international matches in June 2024.
He explained that LeFA wrote to the Ministry of Tourism, Sports, Arts and Culture as early as January 2024, again in February 2024 and in March 2024 enquiring about the state of the Setsoto Stadium which has been banned by CAF for not being compliant with the minimum requirements CAF has set for hosting A International Matches.
However, he said to this end, the Ministry has not responded to these letters in a manner that sheds the requisite information sought.
‘In as much as they responded, their responses are not commensurate with the question advanced to them’ he highlighted.
Mr. Mohapi said just last week, LeFA received a letter from CAF like other Member Associations to shed some light with their host venues as he has mentioned herein. The Ministry has not stated whether Setsoto Stadium should be submitted by LeFA to CAF.
He said Visits to the stadium have shown that the stadium currently is in all sorts of disarray, thus rendering it unusable.
He therefore stated that the only option to LeFA is to submit a stadium on foreign soil to host the Lesotho vs Rwanda match.
LeFA has compared costs and the affordable option is the Moses Mabhida Stadium in eThekwini/Durban, in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa.
Likuena has previously hosted international home games in neighbouring South Africa at Dobsonville Stadium as well as Moses Mabhida Stadium previously.
