2027 AFCON: Lesotho FA pledges US17,600 for national team

Lesotho national team players have every reason to die a little on the pitch during the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) preliminary round qualifying matches.

Ahead of the preliminary round first-leg match against Seychelles at Toyota Stadium in South Africa on Thursday, March 25, 2026, Likuena have received a massive cash boost.

 

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The Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) and the country’s Ministry of Sports have pledged USD17,600 (M300,000) to the national team should they win back-to-back qualifiers against the islanders.

How much is at stake for Lesotho players?

The challenge for the Crocodiles is simple: They must overcome Seychelles over the two legs, and they will receive the money. The return leg will take place at the same Bloemfontein venue four days later. This is the case as Seychelles do not have CAF-certified match venues back home.

Addressing the press at Bambatha Tšita Sports Arena earlier this week, LeFA president Lijane Nthunya and Lesotho Sports and Recreation Commission (LSRC) president Baba Malephane confirmed the cash incentive to the national team.

The LeFA chief disclosed that his association was working hand in hand with his LSRC counterpart in sourcing funds from the Ministry to boost the morale of the Likuena players ahead of the crucial back-to-back fixtures.

Nthunya said the government of Lesotho has pledged USD8,800 (M150 000) to the team should they advance to the group phase of the qualifiers while LeFA will offer the remainder to make it USD 17,600.

“We gave our Ministry at knock at their door through the support of LSRC and we are proud to inform the football fraternity that the Ministry has put forward M150,000 and we will also dig deep from our coffers as LeFA to put another M150 000 to make it M300 000 as incentive to Likuena to beat Seychelles,” the president said.

Challenge Lesotho coach Bob Mafoso is facing

He said Lesotho needs to step up its performance in the AFCON qualifiers so as not to be starting the race from the preliminary round involving lowly ranked teams.

The challenge is now on the lap of Lesotho’s new coach Bob Mafoso to make the most of the pledge and qualify the group stage of the AFCON qualifiers.

Six winners from the preliminary round will join 42 seeded nations in the group stage which will eventually determine the finalists for the AFCON finals which Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania will co-host.