PLE Faces E60,000 Blow After Charity Cup Finals Abandonment

The Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) has been forced to consider compensating clubs and supporters after abandoning the first-ever Charity Cup finals since 2019 due to wet weather. The tournament, which was supposed to be a one-day event, had supporters buying tickets at E50 each. The PLE will have to explore ways to make up for the loss, particularly for the four remaining finalists: Nkwene Sundowns, Lozitha Spurs, Mbabane Highlanders AM, and Nsingizini Hotspurs.

According to sources within the PLE, one possible way to handle the situation is to give the four teams a higher participation fee. A well-placed source revealed that the league will definitely compensate them, possibly with an additional participation fee. The participation fee for the tournament is officially E15,000, and the PLE might give them the same amount if anything, but this will be discussed with concerned stakeholders.

Nsingizini Hotspurs President Derrick Shiba raised concerns about the abandonment, citing the high costs for teams to prepare and honor the games. He hoped that the teams would be compensated, possibly through a share in gate collections or participation fee. His counterpart, Shauwn ‘MA Mkhize’ Mkhize of Highlanders AM, was more concerned about player safety, citing unnecessary injuries on the wet pitch.

The games were abandoned just as Nkwene Sundowns and Lozitha Spurs had started their final, with the decision being taken after a pitch inspection. PLE CEO Petros ‘Pat’ Vilakati announced the decision, hinting that they had met and agreed with relevant stakeholders, including the concerned clubs. Further communication on the matter will be made in due course.

The finals will not be played this weekend as the senior national team will be away in Europe, and the National Under-23s have a match against Algeria. This could see the finals played on the weekend of November 21 or at month-end. If the PLE decides to give the four teams an extra E15,000 each, it would mean an additional E60,000 on top of the initial participation fee, taking it to E30,000 per club.

The PLE Executive Committee has ruled out using gate collections as a form of compensation, citing the charitable nature of the tournament. Instead, they will engage with the four teams to find a suitable solution. The committee's decision aims to find a fair and reasonable way to compensate the teams for their participation.

The abandonment of the PLE Charity Cup finals has significant financial implications for the league, with a potential E60,000 payout to the four remaining teams. The PLE will need to balance its finances while ensuring that the teams and supporters are fairly compensated for their involvement in the tournament.

Key points

• The Premier League of Eswatini faces a potential E60,000 payout to compensate teams for the abandonment of the PLE Charity Cup finals.