NAMIBIA’S under-15 female football team will represent Africa at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China, the NFA announced yesterday.

According to the NFA, the Confederation of African Football (Caf) recently decided to nominate and endorse Namibia as Africa's women's team for the Youth Olympic Games in 2014.

This shows the magnitude of progress Namibia has made in the development of women's football, said NFA president John Muinjo

"The development of the women's game in Namibia is becoming enviable and Caf duly recognised that fact and selected Namibia to send their under-15 girls' team to the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in China. We are delighted about the selection and motivated to do even more for the girls," Muinjo said.

Jacqueline Gertze, head of the Women's Desk at the NFA, said she could barely contain her excitement upon receiving the good news.

"I am very excited about the news that Caf has selected Namibia to represent Africa at this competition. NFA deserves this opportunity for the millions it has spent together with the government and its partners in the Galz & Goals project to be handed the honour to send a youth girls' team to China in 2014," she said.

She added that it was because of the NfA's partnerships that women football is thriving these days.

"The structure of girls' football in Namibia under NFA in collaboration with the Directorate of Sport for under-13 and under-15 girls' leagues in the country has created the pathway for this honour. We must start now with the preparation plan, and we have the support from all stakeholders to do so," Gertze said.

NFA secretary general Barry Rukoro added: "If organisations like Caf and Fifa are recognising you for the work you do, you have to know that you are doing the right thing. I am personally delighted about this one and we will make sure we have the best team possible and ready to do Africa proud indeed. The nomination was taken based on the best development programme on the continent rather than qualification."