News reaching the Siya Crew is that the South African Football Association is planning on growing next year’s Nelson Mandela Challenge to become an even bigger spectacle.
The Nelson Mandela Challenge founded in 1994 sees Bafana Bafana play an invited team in a bid to raise funds for the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
However, this year’s edition which was scheduled for October wasn’t played as a result of the national team’s busy 2018 World Cup qualifier schedule. Now the Siya crew understands that SAFA plans on making the 2018 event the biggest one yet in celebration of the late world-renowned statesman.
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Speaking to Soccer Laduma, SAFA’s Dominic Chimhavi confirmed the plans for what will be the 24th edition of the competition.
“Next year’s Nelson Mandela Challenge will include new elements as we plan on growing the competition even bigger,” said Chimhavi.
“We are planning on inviting international clubs as well as local clubs to participate in the celebrations. Football supporters have a lot more to look forward to next year’s Nelson Mandela Challenge,” he concluded.
Bafana have played the Nelson Mandela Challenge a total of 23 times where they have won 12 games, drawn 3 and lost 27 games. The national squad has scored 27 goals and conceded in all the fixtures played in the competition.
Bafana’s last game in this competition was against Egypt in 2016 where they emerged as 1-0 victors over the Pharaohs.
