Namibia U/17 Team Gains Global Exposure in Westphalia Tour as Partnership Marks 30 Years

Namibia U/17 Team Gains Global Exposure in Westphalia Tour as Partnership Marks 30 Years. The Namibia U/17 Football Development Team continues to make strides in Germany as part of the Westphalia Sport Exchange Program, a long-standing partnership between Namibia and the Football and Athletics Association of Westphalia. The collaboration, which recently marked its 30th anniversary, was officially renewed for another five years, reaffirming both nations’ commitment to youth football development.

So far, the young Namibian side has delivered spirited performances across three competitive fixtures. They secured a 2–1 victory over Sus Kaiserau U/17 with goals from Mushe and Tani Tani, followed by a narrow 3–2 loss to SV Hombuch U/17, where Nick and Ashipala found the back of the net. In their latest outing, Namibia fell 4–1 to SV Lippstadt U/17, with Ortman Baka scoring the team’s consolation goal.

The tour continues this week with upcoming matches against Westfalen U/17 on Wednesday, SV Gievebeck on Thursday, and VfL Theesen on Saturday. These fixtures form part of a crucial developmental experience, allowing the players to test their skills against top European youth teams while gaining valuable exposure to international football standards.

Over the years, the Westphalia partnership has been instrumental in nurturing some of Namibia’s most celebrated footballers, including Razundara Tjikuzu, Collin Benjamin, and current U/17 coach Mammie Kasaona. Their success stories stand as testament to the program’s role in shaping the next generation of Namibian talent and strengthening sporting ties between the two regions.