Newspaper Cup bids for 2019 and 2020 Open

The annual biggest youth sports event, The Namibian Newspaper Cup supported by Nedbank Namibia’s bidding process for the hosting of the 2019 and 2020 opened this week with the closing date for expression of interest set for 29 June, the Namibia Football Association (NFA) states.
In the invitation letter addressed to the 14 Regional Member Associations, NFA Secretary General Barry Rukoro called on the regions to express an interest in hosting this competition by completing and signing a declaration of interest form and submitting it to NFA by 17:00 on 29 June 2018.
As part of the criteria to host the newspaper cup, the host town must have a stadium with an artificial or natural grass; have a minimum capacity for 2000 people and suitable lighting for night games as well as a PA system.
Bidding towns are also informed that the NFA, The Namibian Newspaper Cup and Nedbank Namibia retain the commercial rights to the competition and there should be acceptable accommodation for a delegation from each region as well for match officials, NFA, Namibian Newspaper and Nedbank Namibia officials.
Medical standby for the duration of the tournament, catering and security are also amongst the conditions for hosting the tournament.
The Newspaper Cup is considered as the breeding ground for upcoming talent as many players from the 14 regions went on to become household names in the local Premier League and for the national teams including the Brave Warriors.
Rukoro states that 29 June is the deadline for the regional member associations to declare interest in the hosting of the tournament while 13 July 2018 is the deadline for the submission of the definitive bids including the host agreements with the towns and local and regional governments.
The bidding Member Associations will then have to make a presentation to the Organizing Committee on 25 July 2018 after which a decision will be taken to award the host of the 2019 and the 2020 Namibian Newspaper Cup editions.
Netball was added to the tournament in 2018 at the Katima Mulilo Sports Complex where Omaheke defeated Kavango East 1-0 to take the football title while Kavango East Ladies won the netball title when they defeated Erongo 39-33.