Lesley Tjiueza Mobile Telecommunications Giant MTC and FNB Namibia will sponsor the MTC NPL Premier League to the tune of N$20 million annually over the course of the next three years. The new NPL football season will start with African Stars taking on Orlando Pirates in a much-anticipated opening match. Platinum sponsor MTC’s Representative Tim Ekandjo told football administrators at today’s season launch that they should consider themselves lucky because normally when MTC walks away from something, they don’t look back. “You must thank the angels that despite what you have been through, you have two sponsors who are willing to invest in you. What we want from you is accountability, transparency and zero tollerence spending on what is not budgeted for," said Ekandjo. MTC’s contribution will be 15 million per season over three years. Representing additional sponsor FNB Namibia at the occasion was Jerry Elago, Brand Marketing Manager reminded the administrators to focus on what they agreed on. FNB Namibia will contribute N$5 Million per season over three years. League Chairman Patrick Kauta said the league will kick off on Friday. He addressed critics and skeptics with a speech by Theodore Roosevelt from 1910 and stated that the credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena. “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood. Who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds. Who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat", quoted Kauta. This season’s league winners will walk away with 1 Million Namibia dollars and clubs will receive a 65 thousand Namibia dollar-monthly grant over 10 months. The league will see 240 matches taking place, with all 16 premier league clubs expected to contribute to the action. The season is expected to complete next year in May. Here are the fixture for the opening weekend. Friday 20:00 African Stars vs Orlando Pirates (Sam Nujoma Stadium Saturday 15:00 Tura Magic vs UNAM (Sam Nujoma Stadium) 17:00 Tigers vs Citizens (Sam Nujoma Stadium) 13:00 Life Fighter vs Civics (Pareisis Sports Stadium) 15:00 Mighty Gunners vs Blue Waters (Pareisis Sports Stadium) 15:00 Rundu Chiefs vs Elven Arrows (Rundu Sport Stadium) 15:00 Chiefs Santos vs Young African (Oscar Norwich Stadium) 15:00 Young Chiefs vs Black Africa (Oshakati Independence Stadium) Sunday 15:00 Tigers vs UNAM 17:00 Tura Magic vs Citizens (Sam Nujoma Stadium) 19:00 Orlando Pirates vs Civics (Sam Nujoma Stadium) 13:00 Mighty Gunners vs Eleven Arrows (Pareisis Sports Stadium) 15:00 Life Fighters vs African Stars (Pareisis Sports Stadium) 15:00 Rundu Chiefs vs Blue Waters (Rundu Sport Stadium) 15:00 Chiefs Santos vs Black Africa (Oscar Norwich Stadium) 15:00 Young Chiefs vs Young African (Oshakati Independence Stadium)