Namibia Breweries Limited (NBL) says it still supports the Brave Warriors and that talks for a new sponsorship deal with the Namibia Football Association (NFA) are underway.
The negotiations are centered around how the company, which is under new management, can extract value for money following the expiration of its sponsorship deal in June 2023.
NBL says it does not make business sense for the company to support the national soccer team without local games in the country.
The Namibian last week reported that NBL pulled the plug on its sponsorship of the Brave Warriors.
NBL spokesperson Surihe Gaomas-Guchu says they have not pulled the plug on the national team but are rather busy with negotiations.
"As a corporate citizen, NBL has been sponsoring the national soccer team under our Tafel Lager brand for many years.
"Since the contract expired in June 2023, we have been in negotiation with NFA to partner with them under a mutually beneficial 'win-win' relationship for both parties, as it does not make business sense to support the national soccer team without local games in the country," she says.
Gaomas-Guchu further says the NBL sponsored N$2 million in support of the team playing at the Africa Cup of Nations in January this year.
"... and once again shows our support for soccer in Namibia. As a proudly local business, NBL remains committed to investing in initiatives and development to instill a sense of pride in Namibians," Gaomas-Guchu notes.
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NFA president Robert Shimooshili has reiterated that the relationship between them and NBL is cordial and that the brewery company has continued to support the national team out of courtesy.
He confirms that the two parties are busy negotiating for a mutually beneficial relationship since there is currently no exposure for NBL or any other sponsor as home matches are not played in Namibia because of a lack of international stadiums.
"But honestly, there is no exposure, there is no return on investment because the national team is playing outside of the country, something which is not good for Namibia or the national team," Shimooshili says.
He stresses that as an association it is very difficult to approach sponsors because of local matches being played elsewhere, stating that it is frustrating.
"Remember, they (NBL) have been a friend of football since 1992 and before independence even. They are doing that. They are a sponsor of football. And they have been an official sponsor of the national team until last year, June 23, when their contract was expired. But from there, they continue assisting the national team," the NFA president says.
