The 2024 Harders Cup was officially launched at Luderitz in the //Kharas region over the weekend, with 21 teams expected to participate in the tournament, scheduled to take place from the 20th to the 22nd of September in Luderitz this year.
The tournament, now in its fourth year, will consist of twenty teams from the Southern Stream and one invitational team from Oranjemund.
Officiating at the launch, ||Kharas Governor Aletha Frederick called on individuals and businesses alike to invest in and support activities such as the Harders Cup.
''I appeal to each one of you to make your mark by pledging your support at any level you deem fit, whether as a corporate entity looking to enhance your brand visibility or as an individual passionate about sports development. Your participation will be invaluable in ensuring the success of the fourth Harders Cup'' she added.
The 2024 edition of the Harders Cup will be delivered with a total budget of $1.7 million, of which $420,000 will go towards prize money.
Tim Ekandjo founder of Harders cup Luderitz also gave a speech at the event ''Out of the entire country, this is going to be the third-best prize competition in Namibia, where the winners will walk away with a total of 200,000 Namibian dollars. Silver medalists will receive 100,000 Namibian dollars, third place 50,000 Namibian dollars, and fourth place 30,000 Namibian dollars. In individual prizes, the Player of the Tournament and the Top Goal Scorer will each receive 20,000 Namibian dollars''he said.
Newly elected ||Kharas Regional Football Chairperson Enrico Blaauw called for more sponsors to get involved in football and for more sports facilities to be built. ''My dream for Luderitz, stemming from the Harders Cup and other sports events, is for corporate and political leadership to realize that an indoor sports facility is also a priority. The looming gas and oil boom will bring an influx of many young people to Luderitz. Like all other amenities, top-quality sports facilities should also be a priority''. he stated
Nearly $500,000 were pledged by individuals and corporate entities during the launch, with more pledges expected to be announced before the start of the two-day event in September.
Corry Cloete from NAMDEB mention that ''Sports are a great equalizer, capable of bringing people together from different backgrounds in one place. As a company, NAMDEB places great value on employee wellness, and therefore physical activities such as this tournament are highly regarded''.
During the event in September, spectators will be entertained by a lineup of local, regional, and national artists.