The launch and draw of the 18th edition of the Namibian newspaper cup took place in Windhoek on Tuesday. This year's event will take place in the Zambezi Region from 30 March to 2 April under the theme 'Conserve the Zambezi bream'. The Namibian Newspaper Cup, a four-day event, will for the first time include an U/19 netball tournament, which will be hosted concurrently with the football schedule. Today's launch was attended by different stakeholders of the competition. Acting Editor of the Namibian Newspaper, Christof Maletsky, applauded all stakeholders, especially the governor of the Zambezi Region and the local organising committee for their involvement in this noble course. Eleven of the national football team players, who played in the recent CHAN competition, rose to fame by starring in The Namibian Newspaper Cup. “Initially we started with N$120 000. That was what The Namibian put in, we now stand collectively at over N$5 million. That is if you include the N$1 million from NBC in airtime, Nedbank's N$500 000, Coke Cola's soft drinks, The Namibian’s over N$2 million that we are putting in and also the Ministry of Youth and Sport, Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare. It’s worth every cent,” said Maletsky. Netball Namibia's President, Lydia Mutenda applauded the organisers for having heeded their call to be included in the competition. “The inclusion of netball in The Namibian Newspaper Cup from this year gives the girl child the opportunity to showcase her God-given talent over these four days of spectacular netball. The progression from junior level to senior level will definitely benefit netball in general. It is at these type of events talents are identified and ultimately the senior team will reap the fruits,” she said. The Netball competition's winners will walk away with N$25 000, while the second-placed team will get N$12 500 and third place N$6 250. Fourteen regional teams for both football and netball were drawn into four groups. The draw revealed the following: Group A Kunene Khomas Otjozondjupa Kavango West Group B Zambezi Erongo Omaheke Omusati Group C Oshikoto Oshana Hardap Group D Ohangwena Kavango East //Karas