Kgoale urges firms to launch cup tournament

Banyana Banyana midfielder Nomvula Kgoale has challenged big companies to come on board and launch a knockout tournament to be played by Hollywoodbets Super League teams.

Speaking to Sowetan on the sidelines of an event where TymeBank handed over a R2m cheque to Banyana for their World Cup heroics, Kgoale urged corporate world to launch a cup tournament to emulate the PSL, where there are three knockout competitions in the form of the MTN8, the Nedbank Cup and the Carling Knockout.

“It’d be nice to have at least one knockout competition for Hollywoodbets Super League. Look at the PSL, there's MTN8, Nedbank Cup and Carling [Knockout], so SA companies must look at launching one for us, especially because the women’s game is growing,” Kgoale said.

“Imagine TymeBank Top8 of something like that. Big companies must see value in women’s football because we also consume their products as women. Sasol and Hollywoodbets can’t be the only companies seeing value in women’s football.”

Kgoale, who’s affectionately known as “Lipstick Lady”, also weighed in on Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies’ dominance in the Hollywoodbets Super League, having won the title for two years running. Kgoale is on the books of TS Galaxy Ladies.

“Sundowns’ dominance is because of the investment they have made. I am not saying other teams don’t have good squads but Sundowns have a better team full of Banyana players, so it’s very difficult to compete against such a team,” Kgoale said.

Meanwhile, Tymebank rewarded Banyana with R2m, shared among players and support staff, after they reached the quarterfinals of the World Cup, co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand in August last year. Since winning the Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) in Morocco in 2022, Banyana players have at least pocketed R1m each from bonuses.

Kgoale doubts they can ever “blow” their bonuses, thanking Sasol, Banyana’s sponsor, for affording them financial literacy. “We are careful that we don’t misuse our money. Sasol made sure we go through financial literacy courses and we are thankful for that.

“We’ve been taught how to invest and most of us know how to invest. I don’t really think any of us as Banyana players can blow the money,” Kgoale said.