Since our last NEC meeting on 17 September 2022, football has captured the attention of the world through major football events – the 2022 Qatar World Cup, the CHAN tournament in Algeria, Morocco became the first African country to make it to the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup. During the CAF Executive Committee in Algiers, Algeria, a major stadium was named after the South African Icon Nelson Mandela.
However, soon after the FIFA World Cup the world football suffered a huge loss of the player voted the Best Player of the Century, Edson Arentes Do Nascimento or simply Pele, the greatest player of all times. The debate as who is the G.O.A.T (The greatest player of all time, was a debate for others).
We also experienced the sad departure of Bafana Bafana stalwart John Moeti, promising Referee Mr Moeketsi Moleleka, and the tragic loss of one of our players for the future, U20 National Team Player and Stellenbosch player, Oswin Andries.
We had hardly recovered when devastating earthquake struck Turkey and Syria, causing the loss of lives of more than 36000. We convey our sincerest condolences to the bereaved families and the people of Türkiye and Syria.
SAFA is filled with pain because of the loss of another promising player, promising referee and all those who perished in the recent past. Our sincerest condolences to their families.
THE VISION 2022 (2014 – 2022)
Ended with the Qatar World Cup and we are satisfied with what has been achieved:
Women
- A Woman’s National League was established in 2019 as well as the appointment of women coaches for all women teams.
- There was an incease in number of women players to 456,000.
- The appointment of women as President of Regions.
- 5 Women were appointed on the National Executive Committee and R300 million investment in Women Football with most going into the investment in women education where majority of our Banyana Banyana players have tertiary education with SAFA support.
National Teams
- Our u17 team qualified for the FIFA World Cup in Uruguay in 2018
- Our u20 won bronze medal in 2019 and also won the 2019 All Africa Games
Banyana Banyana
- Six consecutive times champions as well as reaching the Rio Olympics.
- Qualified for every AFCON final.
- Finalists in 2018 AFCON finals
- Champions in 2022 AFCON
- Qualified for the FIFA World Cup in France in 2019
- Qualified in 2023 FIFA World Cup in Australia/New Zealand
U23 Qualified for:
- 2016 in Rio Olympics
- 2020 in Tokyo Olympics
U20 Achievements:
- COSAFA Champions 8 times.
- FIFA WORLD CUP in 2019 in South Korea
- Qualified for 2019 World Cup in Poland
- 2021 was cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic
U17 Achievements:
- Qualified for FIFA World Cup in Chile in 2015
High Performance Centre For Women
We are now in the process of finalizing our vision 2030 (2022 Post Qatar to 2026 USA, Mexico, Canada and post 2026 World Cup to 2030 World Cup).
We attended a FIFA seminar in developing of Vision 2030 Strategic Plan on 7-8 February 2023, in Paris, France. We had further engagement with UEFA over the last few days as part of further engagement towards finalizing our strategic and operational plan. The strategic framework of SAFA must put an effective structure and working conditions that allows the administrators to function efficiently and to raise the standard of play for all teams. Leadership is not merely a position; we need to appoint the following:
- Head of Women Football
- Head of Commercial Affairs
- Head of Referees Committee
- Safeguarding Officer
This means that we need to achieve greater investment in football development. There has to be continued oversight to ensure that all funds are used responsibly and a greater impact through higher achievement of football development of objectives.
SAFA Goals:
- Globalize SAFA teams must participate in COSAFA, CAF, FIFA competitions, bid for 2027 FIFA Women World Cup 2027
- Popularize SAFA biggest sports, organization Women strategy to reach 1 million players by 2030, Women officials, Technical Officials, Increase women in LFA, Regions, Province National Structures Fully Professional Women League by 2026. Strengthen youth football development Schools Football, Youth Provincial and National Competition
- Democratize accountability from Clubs, LFAs, Regions, Provinces, National Governance Workshops at Regional and Provincial Level
SAFA MUST PLACE ITS STRATEGIC PLAN WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF FIFA 11 GOALS:
- Modernize football regulatory framework. Are our Statutes, rules and governance regulations protecting the game?
- Grow SAFA’s revenues sustainably for further reinvestment in football. Key priority for investment: development, women football, school football, governance, communication, National Technical Centre and National Teams.
- Increase the efficiency and efficacy of SAFA. World class administration: target set in 2013 emphasized in 2018. Adopt a service orientated approach. Increase the capacity on an ongoing basis.
- Ensure success of SAFA top competitions: ABC Motsepe League, Hollywoodbets Super League, Kay Motsepe League, National Schools League. Interprovincial: U17 Boys, U17Girls, U19 Girls and U19 Boys.
- Achieve in global Competitions: Youth U17 Girls, U17 Boys, U20 Boys, U20 Girls Olympics: Women and U23 Men, Banyana Banyana, Bafana Bafana, Beach Soccer and Futsal. Performance in COSAFA, CAF and FIFA competitions must be planned and presented to the Technical committee and reported to NEC.
- Increase global competitiveness in all National Teams. In top two in COSAFA,
top 10 in CAF, top 50 in FIFA, clubs in the top 30’s.
- Maximize the opportunities of global trends in. Football development across all disciplines
- Acceleration of the growth of Women football, Women and girl’s participation must be increased. Women in governance structures must be strengthened.
- Harness technology and football technology must be used to improve the quality of the game. The introduction of VAR in the next season must be discussed and finalized.
- We must protect the positive values in football. “Fair Play” should be a guiding principle.
- The impact of the power of football on society. It brings people together, inspires the youth, it promotes team spirit and discipline, it creates national and global role models and icons.
CAF COMPETITIONS 2023
- U17 29 April to 19 May Algeria
- U20 19 Feb to 11 March Egypt
- U23 24 June to 8 July Morocco
CAF COMPETITIONS HOSTS 2023
- AFCON in Ivory Coast
- Woman’s AFCON in Morocco
- U23 AFCON in Morocco
- U20 AFCON in Egypt
- U17 AFCON in Algeria
- Futsal in Mozambique
- Beach Soccer in Egypt
CLUB Global Ranking
Highest Ranked SA Clubs in the World Ranking
Men
Mamelodi Sundown’s 93
Orlando Pirates 492
Kaizer Chiefs 609
Women
Mamelodi Sundowns 26
TUT 177
UWC 190
Banyana Player Pool
16 team’s x 20 = 320 Players
Hollywood bets League
29 players are playing abroad