Every dark cloud has a silver lining. With football fans being banned from attending football matches in stadiums due to COVID-19 pandemic, the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) and MTN Eswatini has officially introduced a live streaming platform where football fans can watch their favourite teams at a cost which will be revenue that will benefit the football clubs.
“Football fans should enjoy local football from the comfort of their homes”, said Mr. Wandile Mtshali, the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Eswatini. He also highlighted that the long term plan for this platform is for the people to enjoy local football even beyond the borders of this country. The football family expressed its excitement in as far as this partnership is concerned and the overall relationship that it have with MTN Eswatini. “As football family, we are happy with the relationship that we have with MTN Eswatini, and over and above that; we would like to express our sincere appreciation to MTN Eswatini for the cooperation that the organization had with us during this tough period where the globe is terrorised by the COVID-19 pandemic”, said the Eswatini Football Association’s (EFA’s) President, Mr. Adam Mthethwa.
The PLE Chairman Mr. Mark Carmichael acknowledged His Majesty’s Government for allowing the return of football and eulogized MTN Eswatini for her investment to football for the past 20 years. “We would like to acknowledge His Majesty’s Government for the return of football. We also thank MTN Eswatini for her investment in football development in the country as the organization has invested E50 Million to the game over 20 years”. He also pleaded to the football clubs and the nation at large to support this initiative for the benefit of the stakeholders. “We need to embrace the live streaming of matches as football clubs and the nation”, Carmichael said. The revenue generated from this initiatives will be shared by the PLE and MTN Eswatini with the former getting 78% whilst the latter getting 22%.