Swazi Observer

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16-TEAM LEAGUE ACCEPTED, BUT…

By MGCINI DUBE | 2024-04-26

SOCCER - FOLLOWING the submission of the 16-team league proposal by elite league and NFD clubs, the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) will appoint a committee that will look into the feasibility of the proposal and how it could be implemented.

The proposal was submitted yesterday by team representatives during the extra-ordinary meeting held at Sigwaca House.

It has been reliably gathered that teams want an increase in the number of elite league teams in the coming seasons. They have proposed that the meeting should second the increase of teams to 16. The PLE will also appoint a marketing committee that will work on a seasonal tickets proposal.

This proposal will enable Premier League clubs to get E500 000 per season, while NFD teams stand to get E300 000 per club.

Clubs are also seeking the assistance of other affiliates that may want to submit proposals for discussion during the PLE Annual General Meeting slated for August. Initially, any proposal that membership felt should be enlisted as an agenda item during the AGM has to be submitted 30 days before the scheduled date of the meeting. The committee is expected to come up with a formula they will use to implement the 16-team league. They will also look at its sustainability and when it should start.

They will be expected to give a full report to the teams before presenting their findings to the AGM for adoption if they agree to it.

The teams also approved the proposal to have only Under-23 players playing in the NFD.

“They will also look into this issue and see how many players, who are above 23 years, will be allowed to play. They want the NFD to be a development league.”

PLE Chairman Mark Carmichael confirmed the submission of the teams’ proposal. He said the meeting was part of the mandatory and statutory meetings as per the constitution, where team directors come through to discuss different issues for the betterment of the league.

Carmichael said the executive would meet and appoint committees to work on the proposals.

"I can confirm that we have received a proposal from teams to that effect. But I cannot disclose contents as it is yet to be discussed by the executive. In fact, we will be discussing the matter and develop strategies before giving the teams a report," he said.

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