Team Lesotho has been officially sent off ahead of the 2026 Confederation of University and College Sports Associations (CUCSA) Games, with athletes determined to make a strong impression as the country returns to the regional competition after more than six years.
The CUCSA Games, scheduled to take place in Gaborone, Botswana, from Sunday, June 28 to Sunday, July 5, are a biennial multi-sport tournament that brings together university and college student-athletes from across Southern Africa (Region 5).
The Lesotho University Colleges and Sports Association (LUCSA) hosted a farewell ceremony at Setsoto National Stadium on Saturday, June 27, to officially send off Team Lesotho as they departed to represent the nation at the prestigious regional event.
Addressing the athletes, LUCSA President Mpolokeng Tsenoli urged the team to make the most of the opportunity by showcasing their abilities on the regional stage.
Tsenoli highlighted the significance of Lesotho’s return to the competition, noting that the country has been absent from the Games for more than six years due to financial challenges. Lesotho had originally been awarded the rights to host the 2020 edition in Maseru, but those plans were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the postponement of the event before the hosting rights were eventually reassigned.
This year’s delegation will compete in six sporting codes: men’s and women’s football, athletics, basketball, volleyball, netball and chess.
Preparations for the Games have been extensive, with all teams undergoing intensive training in recent weeks.
LUCSA FC and the LUCSA Ladies football team, coached by Dr. Makhetha, have been training at Setsoto National Stadium as they fine-tuned their preparations for the tournament. Their performances in a series of friendly matches have demonstrated both their progress and determination heading into the regional competition.
On June 19, LUCSA FC produced an emphatic 4-0 victory over LMPS in a friendly match before playing out an entertaining 4-4 draw against LU FC on June 20. The women’s side also showed encouraging form by defeating Villa Ladies 2-0 on June 22.
Speaking during the farewell ceremony, women’s football captain Joalane Tongoane expressed confidence in the team’s readiness, assuring stakeholders that Team Lesotho is travelling to Botswana with the ambition of achieving results rather than merely making up the numbers.
“We are going there to compete and deliver results, not simply to participate,” she said.
With months of preparation complete and confidence high across the various sporting codes, Team Lesotho now heads to Gaborone eager to re-establish the country’s presence at one of Southern Africa’s biggest university sporting events and fly the national flag with pride.
