‘Big 3’ share less than E600k
MBABANE – Following a dominant season by security forces teams, the country’s ‘big guns’ will share only E565 000 in MTN Premier League prize money.
This is money accumulated by the ‘Big 3’ of Mbabane Swallows, Mbabane Highlanders and Manzini Wanderers after finishing outside the top two in the recently-ended season. Green Mamba are the champions after surviving a gruelling season. They finished the season on pole position with 61 points and earned E1 million, while closest challengers in Young Buffaloes finished on 58 points. The Correctional Services side dethroned defending champions Royal Leopard, who occupied the fifth spot with 39 points. The Ernest Mavuso-coached side, for their feat, have booked their place in the 2023/24 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League after four years.
The ‘big guns’of the country in Swallows, Highlanders and Wanderers, on the other hand, have once again finished the season without a trophy after ending the campaign on positions three, four and 10, respectively and missing out on representing Eswatini in continental football.
According to the 2022/23 MTN Premier League Rules and Regulations, the three teams, which where once called the barometers of Eswatini football, will have to share almost half of what the champions will get in prizes. The rules state that sponsor MTN shall disburse E4 045 000 towards the payment of cash prizes to winning teams. This means that Green Mamba shall get E1 000 000 for their achievement this season.
According to the rules, Umkhonto KaShaka for finishing third, are entitled to get E325 000, with fourth-placed Inkunzi Emnyama getting E200 000. Meanwhile, Liweseli, who in two years running failed to finish the season within the top eight brackets shall receive E40 000. This in total means that the three teams will get almost half of what Mabonwa’hloniswe, as the champions are fondly known in local football circles, will receive. They shall share E565 000 combined.