Cricket stadium set for October opening
Justicia Shipena
The FNB Namibia Cricket Ground (FNB NCG) will officially open in October of this year, Cricket Namibia announced on Tuesday.
The new stadium will host its first match , a T20 international between Namibia and South Africa in Windhoek on 11 October 2025.
The match will be the first time the Namibian men’s national team, the FNB Eagles, faces South Africa’s Proteas.
Cricket Namibia CEO Johan Muller called the match a fitting way to open the new sports facility.
“A match against our neighbours and one of the top cricketing countries in the world is the perfect way to open this world-class facility,” Muller said.
He thanked Cricket South Africa (CSA) and its CEO, Pholetsi Moseki, for agreeing to the fixture.
“We look forward to hosting the Proteas men’s team and to partnering with CSA in hosting the ICC Men’s World Cup in 2027,” he added.
The FNB NCG has been under construction since 2021 and is located next to the Hage Geingob Rugby Stadium in Windhoek.
It will seat up to 7,500 people and is being built to host matches during the 2026 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup and the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. Namibia will co-host the 2027 tournament with South Africa and Zimbabwe.
The stadium’s construction is progressing steadily. Its total cost is estimated at N$72 million.
Funding comes from sources such as the International Cricket Council (ICC), broadcasting rights, corporate sponsorships, and a naming rights deal with First National Bank Namibia.
CSA CEO Pholetsi Moseki said the Proteas are proud to take part in the opening game.
“As a fellow African cricketing nation and the host of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, we are proud to support the official opening of this new stadium, which will be one of the host venues of the tournament,” Moseki said.
He said Namibia is a competitive side, and the fixture reflects the growing strength of cricket on the continent.
