Grootfontein: Around 250 boys and girls are expected to participate in the 2026 Otjozondjupa Governor's Cup to be held on Saturday at the Omulunga Sports Stadium in Grootfontein.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Grootfontein sports officer in the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, Hertha Masule, stated in an interview after site inspections that the list of participants includes approximately 152 boys and 98 girls under 20 years of age from the seven constituencies of Tsumwke, Grootfontein, Otavi, Otjiwarongo, Okakarara, Okahandja, and Omatako.

Masule mentioned that the regional technical committee organizing the event decided in a meeting on Wednesday that participants will be accommodated for free at the Makalani Primary School hostels, and meals will be prepared for the players at the hostel's kitchen. The committee also opted for the Omulunga Sports Stadium as the venue for the tournament, instead of the Grootfontein Senior Secondary School sports ground initially identified.

She explained that the change of venue was made to select a location more suitable for the masses, which is Omulunga. Both the Omulunga stadium and Makalani hostels were inspected and confirmed to meet the necessary standards.

The Otjozondjupa Governor's Cup was officially launched on Tuesday at Otjiwarongo by Governor John ||Khamuseb, along with local authority and regional constituency councillors. The tournament aims to select the best players for the region's Under-20 football and netball teams, which will compete in The Namibian Newspaper Cup at Keetmanshoop in the ||Karas Region.

The head coach for the Otjozondjupa Under-20 football team is Augustinus Mukoya from the Correctional Services' sport team, while Ehrenfriede Uahongora of the Namibian Defence Force will coach the netball team.