Region Five Games draw reveals matchups
There are enticing matchups to look out for at the 2025 African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 Games following Sunday’s draw in Windhoek.
The draw was for the football, indoor volleyball, beach volleyball, netball and basketball disciplines of the regional competition which will be hosted in Namibia from 4 to 13 July.
Initially set for Mozambique, the event was moved to Namibia due to the political climate and adverse weather conditions in Mozambique.
This year’s Games will promote disability sport and will feature renowned ex-Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba, a Special Olympics global ambassador, who is expected to participate in an exhibition match and the opening ceremony.
In football, which doubles as the Cosafa Under-20 Championship for both men and women, the host nation will face Zimbabwe.
The Junior Warriors also take on Angola and Malawi in Group A for men, while the Junior Gladiators battle Mozambique and Botswana in Group A of the women’s section.
Group B in the men’s draw consists of South Africa, Zambia, Eswatini and Botswana, with Group B for women made up of Zambia, South Africa, Eswatini and Angola.
The top two teams in each of the pools advance to the semi-finals.
Namibia are drawn to face Angola and Botswana in Group A of the boy’s basketball competition which will be contested at u16 level. Mozambique, Zambia and South Africa are in Group B.
The girls’ draw mirrors that of their male counterparts.
The u19 netball competition is for women only, with Namibia in Pool B alongside Zimbabwe and Botswana. Eswatini, Malawi, Zambia and South Africa are in Pool A.
Powerful smashes and incredible saves are expected to be the order of the day in the u19 beach volleyball.
With Mozambique unable to field a side, the men’s teams are grouped in one pool which contains Namibia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Malawi.
The women’s section has two pools, with Namibian sharing Pool A with Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi.
Pool B has Mozambique, South Africa, Botswana, Angola and Lesotho.
For the indoor volleyball, Namibia’s u19 women take on Malawi, Zimbabwe and Lesotho in Pool A. Botswana, South Africa, Angola, Mozambique and Zambia are in Pool B.
The men’s draw sees all the participating nations apart from Mozambique in one pool.
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