Walvis bay: The Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) on Wednesday officially launched its first-ever 7-A-Side Corporate Soccer Tournament under the theme ‘Score Goals for a Greater Cause’, aimed at promoting wellness, community engagement, and local economic participation. The tournament is currently targeted at Walvis Bay corporate companies, with plans to expand to include more sports codes in the future.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Namport’s Executive for Commercial Services, Elias Mwenyo, emphasized that the tournament is more than just a sporting event. “Our coming together is not only to celebrate our collective love for the game of soccer, but also to promote wellness, strengthen community ties, and create sustainable economic impact,” Mwenyo stated. He further noted that economic growth is sustainable only when communities are healthy, resilient, and empowered, stressing that wellness initiatives should be considered an essential part of business operations.
The tournament is part of Namport’s
Corporate Social Investment pillar focusing on Community Health and Wellbeing. Co-sponsor Pindulo Namibia expressed enthusiasm for the initiative. Festus Tautinge, Business Development Director, described the launch as historic, providing companies an opportunity to connect beyond the confines of boardrooms. “At Pindulo, we move cargo every day, but with this Namport 7-A-Side Tournament, we are moving something more, community trust and community spirit. It represents teamwork, healthy competition, and bringing people together,” Tautinge remarked.
Thirty-two teams have registered to compete in the tournament, which will take place at Walvis Bay this weekend. Tournament coordinator, Paulus Shipanga, explained that each team will play seven matches in the group stage before moving on to the Round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals. Each team will register 12 players for the tournament, with no mid-event substitutions permitted.
The winning team will be awarded N.dollars 15,000, a floating trophy, me
dals, and an additional N.dollars 10,000 donation to a charity of their choice. The second and third-place teams will receive N.dollars 7,000 and N.dollars 4,000, respectively. Notably, the matches will be officiated by Twanyanyukwa Antsino, who gained recognition for officiating the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final match in July.