Jessica Motaung gives update on formation of Chiefs’ women’s team
Kaizer Chiefs marketing and commercial director Jessica Motaung has given an update on how far the club is in the process of forming a women’s team.
According to Jessica Motaung, the Soweto giants are in the advanced stages of establishing a women’s team set to compete in the Hollywoodbets Super League.
Amakhosi are on the verge of following in the footsteps of the now-defunct Bloemfontein Celtic, Mamelodi Sundowns and TS Galaxy, the latest DStv Premiership club to launch a women’s team.
CHIEFS EYEING CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SPOT
Moreover, with Chiefs eyeing a CAF Champions League spot for next season’s edition, they are bound by CAF’s regulations to have a women’s team to compete in continental club competitions.
Two years back, CAF announced that teams with no women’s sides will be prohibited from participating in interclub tournaments from the 2022/23 season.
Amakhosi’s head of digital, Kemiso Motaung, had previously stated that the club would form a women’s team ahead of the current season. However, that did not transpire, and Jessica has since provided an update.
JESSICA MOTAUNG GIVES UPDATE CHIEFS’ WOMEN TEAM
“This is the question I have been waiting for. Look, there is a lot of work being done. And I think we are close,” said Jessica Motaung at the club’s village in Naturena.
“We are getting even closer, and we understand the importance of it. I mean, I was just at the launch, the road show for the FIFA Women’s World Cup trophy. It was wonderful to see how the game has touched young women. And how many young girls are participating in the [coaching] clinics and schools sports?
WOMEN’S TEAM IS A PRIORITY FOR CHIEFS
“So, it is a priority [forming a women’s team] of ours. One wants to do it properly. So, we would have wanted to announce something earlier on. However, we have to dot the I’s and the T’s. This space is important as women’s football is centre stage right now.
“We want to do it properly in a space where we want to make sure that women are treated well. The focus is not just on the male sport, and that’s with resources and salaries.
“But it is something we are very passionate about, and we understand the pressure is coming from CAF. We want to make sure our investment in the game is authentic. We want to allow young women to realise their full potential,” she added.
On the possibility of Chiefs buying an existing status in the Super League to launch a women’s team, Jessica said: “We are close in our process of finalising. And we are taking it forward. We are still very much in the works, and we will make announcements when we are ready.”
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