EFA EQUIPS SUNNY HHOHHO SUPER LEAGUE CLUBS WITH MARKETING SKILLS TO DRIVE GROWTH
The Eswatini Football Association (EFA) has intensified its efforts to strengthen football clubs beyond the field by successfully hosting Marketing and Communications Workshops for teams competing in the Sunny Hhohho Super League.
The workshops, held over the weekend at the EFA Technical Centre in Mkhuzweni for the Northern Zone and Sigwaca House in Mbabane for the Southern Zone, attracted a combined total of 66 participants from clubs and competition committees. The sessions were facilitated by EFA Marketing and Communications Manager Muzi Radebe.
The initiative forms part of the Association’s broader strategy to empower clubs with the knowledge and practical skills required to build sustainable football institutions capable of attracting commercial investment and growing their supporter base.
Participants were taken through a wide range of topics, including football products, understanding supporters, branding, building strong club identities, effective communication strategies, media relations, digital marketing, and practical approaches to commercialising club activities.
Addressing participants during the Northern Zone workshop, Hhohho Regional Football Association (HRFA) Vice Chairperson Mr Donald Nkonyane described the programme as both timely and necessary, saying football clubs must embrace modern management practices if they are to remain competitive.
He urged clubs to establish sound governance structures and invest in capacity building at grassroots level.
“Development must start from the bottom, not the top. Clubs should make full use of the knowledge gained during this workshop, particularly in the areas of marketing and team management. We appreciate the EFA for taking these important programmes to the regions,” said Nkonyane.
During the Southern Zone session, HRFA Chairperson Dr Comfort Shongwe challenged clubs to become more visible and commercially attractive by embracing innovation and strategic marketing.
He encouraged teams to actively create engaging content, market their merchandise, and maximise digital platforms such as TikTok to expand their reach and strengthen relationships with supporters.
“Let’s create content and also market club products. Sponsors are attracted to clubs that have visibility, strong identities and organised structures,” said Dr Shongwe.
He further stressed that clubs should operate as professional business entities with proper constitutions and governance systems to minimise internal disputes while ensuring compliance with football statutes and regulations.
Dr Shongwe commended the Eswatini Football Association for introducing the workshops and urged participants to become ambassadors of the knowledge they had acquired.
“I encourage all of you to return to your respective clubs as trainers of trainers so that the information shared here reaches every level of your organisations. I also appreciate the excellent attendance and commitment demonstrated by our clubs,” he said.
The Marketing and Communications Workshops are designed to improve the commercial and communication capacity of clubs, helping them build sustainable brands, increase fan engagement, and create greater value for current and prospective sponsors.
The programme will continue on Sunday, 2 August 2026, when the Eswatini Football Association hosts the next workshop for Shiselweni Regional Super League clubs under the Shiselweni Regional Football Association in Nhlangano.