Atibuye Emasisweni 2026: The Grassroots Journey Continues
On Thursday, 20 August 2026, Atibuye Emasisweni Foundation concluded another chapter in its grassroots football development programme, bringing together 186 young footballers from 13 primary schools at Nkonyeni College.
The four-day tournament, which began on Monday, gave young players a chance to compete, learn, and show the progress they’ve made through the Foundation’s structured development programme. Beyond the trophies and individual awards, it offered the clearest sign yet that Atibuye Emasisweni is building something bigger than an annual competition: a pathway.
A Journey That Began in 2023
The Atibuye Emasisweni Foundation was established in February 2023 to identify and develop football talent from an early age, laying a foundation for the future of football in Eswatini. Its Grassroots Talent Identification Programme focuses on primary school children, giving young boys and girls access to structured coaching while building discipline, teamwork, confidence, and a love for the game.
The first Atibuye Emasisweni Tournament was held at Manzini Club in 2024.
Many of the players were still learning the fundamentals at the time. Since that first tournament, they have continued to train, compete, and develop their skills.
In 2025, the tournament moved to Nkonyeni College, where they played on a newly built pitch. This year, they returned to the now fully matured pitch for a high stakes 2026 tournament.
From a Newly Sponsored Pitch to a Mature Playing Surface
The 2026 tournament was played on a well-manicured, established grass pitch at Nkonyeni College that was sponsored by Coca-Cola just a year earlier.
The transformation is a visible example of what sustained investment and partnership can achieve. For Atibuye Emasisweni, quality playing facilities are a core part of creating the right environment for grassroots development — and Nkonyeni College extended its support further by providing accommodation for players and coaches throughout the tournament, giving the group a shared base to stay, compete, and experience the week together.
![Players and their coaches at Nkonyeni College.]](https://atibuye-emasisweni.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/04-players-coaches-nkonyeni.jpeg "04-players-coaches-nkonyeni")
A Growing Programme
The 2026 tournament brought together 13 schools from all four regions of Eswatini:
| Hhohho | Manzini | Shiselweni | Lubombo |
|---|---|---|---|
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The programme was supported by 13 coaches and 13 teachers. Most of the coaches involved since 2024 are still with their schools today, and new coaches and schools have joined as the programme has expanded — a continuity that matters, because these players aren’t only brought together once a year. They’re coached and followed throughout their development.
Four Days of Competitive Football
Teams played three games a day across the four-day tournament, and by the final day the competitive edge was unmistakable — no team wanted to lose, and every save, tackle, and goal mattered.
Coaches saw players applying skills built up over several years of training. The difference wasn’t only physical: greater confidence, sharper technical ability, a stronger read of positioning, and a growing feel for the competitive side of the game.
Lobamba Crowned 2026 Champions
After four days of competition, Lobamba National Primary School took the 2026 title.
| Position | School | Medal |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Lobamba National Primary School | Gold |
| 2nd | Evelyn Baring Primary School | Silver |
| 3rd | Hillside Primary School | Bronze |
Individual Excellence Recognised
| Award | Winner | School |
|---|---|---|
| Best Defender | Khoza Siyanda | Lobamba National Primary School |
| Best Goalkeeper | Maseko Bulelwa | Nkwalini Primary School |
| Top Goal Scorer (12 goals) | Shongwe Balingeni | Nkwalini Primary School |
| Best Midfielder | Mabuza Sihlelelwe | Evelyn Baring Primary School |
![[PHOTO: Individual award winners with their awards, Presented by Pedro Samuel (Balondolozi)]](https://atibuye-emasisweni.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/13-individual-award-b.jpeg "13-individual-award-b")
![[PHOTO: Individual award winners with their awards, Presented by Pedro Samuel (Balondolozi)]](https://atibuye-emasisweni.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/15-individual-award-d.jpeg "15-individual-award-d")
![[PHOTO: Individual award winners with their awards, Presented by Pedro Samuel (Balondolozi)]](https://atibuye-emasisweni.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/14-individual-award-c.jpeg "14-individual-award-c")
![[PHOTO: Individual award winners with their awards, Presented by Pedro Samuel (Balondolozi)]](https://atibuye-emasisweni.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/12-individual-award-a.jpeg "12-individual-award-a")
Individual award winners, presented by Pedro Samuel (Balondolozi).
Individual honours aside, these awards point to something bigger: the depth of talent developing across every participating school.
The Community and Partners Get Involved
The tournament continues to draw strong interest from the wider school communities, with parents coming out to watch their children compete, teachers and school leadership taking an active interest, and head teachers visiting to see their pupils’ progress firsthand.
This year’s tournament also gave partners and supporters an opportunity to see the Foundation’s work in action. Among those present were Phillip DeSousa of United Holdings, Sifiso Malinga of Africivils, Vusi Dlamini of Futis, and Pedro Samuel of Balondolozi.
That support matters. The Foundation’s model works through the schooling structure, allowing football development to happen alongside education, within the communities where these children live and learn. The result is a programme that uses football as a platform for developing discipline, teamwork, confidence, and ambition — not simply as a game.
The Journey Continues
The players who began in the Under-9 programme are now mostly 11 years old, and will move up to the Under-13 category next year. Behind them, another generation is already coming through — this year’s current Under-9s are playing this week, just beginning their own journey through the programme.
One generation moves forward. Another begins. The coaches and schools stay involved, and the programme keeps expanding.
More Than a Tournament
The real measure of the 2026 tournament isn’t on the scoreboard — it’s in the players themselves: more confident, more technically capable, better at reading the game, and starting to understand what it means to play as a team.
That’s the point of Atibuye Emasisweni Foundation: not simply to organise tournaments, but to identify talent early, provide consistent development, create opportunities, and build a stronger football culture in Eswatini. The journey that began in 2023 continues to grow — and so does the vision behind it.
Interested in partnering with the 2027 programme? Get in touch to find out how you can support the next intake of players.
