15 Jun 2023

 Should  The Confederation of African Football (CAF) grant Botswana the rights to host the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027, the country will witness the emergence of state-of-the-art stadia.

If CAF is impressed by the country’s bid book, Batswana should brace themselves for breathtaking art stadia; if designs by world class architect, Reuben Reddy are anything to go by.  

Football will never be the same as the nation will experience a touch of modernity.

The rewards of a successful bid could result with the country having three new stadia; one in greater Gaborone, another in Maun while the third will go to Kasane. Others; Obed Itani Chilume, Lobatse and National Stadium will be upgraded.

The stadium planned to be built in Kasane, should Botswana win the bid, will be called Tlatlana, a name evocative of the stadium’s design. 

It will have a seating capacity of about 15 000.  Tlatlana will take miniature shape of woven baskets synonymous with the Chobe region.

According to the designers, the outside of the stadium will be embellished with linear protrusions resembling the darkened brown pigments of a basket woven from the leaves of the palm trees strewn across Kasane.  The stadium’s ergonomic seat designs are capable of comfortably seating fans for long periods. 

Tlatlana will be weather-proof with a hollow concave roof, enhancing the viewing experience for football fans.

A glance of the stadia rewards the eye with a sight inspired by Botswana’s geology, culture and minerals.

Obed Itani Chilum’s upgrading will bring in a rising confident with a pattern of conjoining arrows that glisten on the edges. 

The greater Gaborone stadium, to be called Motlhaba, will boast a seating capacity of about 40 000, taking the wavy form of weathered rock formations.

Letswai stadium in Maun will also have a 40 000 capacity, as required by the CAF while Lobatse will receive a stadium that can accomodate 15 000 spectators. The National Stadium in Gaborone will be refurbished to house 20 000 fans.

The proposed stadia refurbishments are the works of Reuben Reddy Architects, famous for designing stadia globally.

Part of the minimum CAF requirement for hosting an AFCON tournament is that the host should have six stadiums to cater for all the 24 teams that will be participating in the games. 

Counting the proposed newly stadia, Botswana will definitely meet this requirement. ends