Decision on Cup host cities today

THE SA Football Association will sit down today to decide which cities will host the Bafana Bafana home games in the upcoming African Nations Cup qualifiers.

This is despite the fact the first game for South Africa at home against Nigeria is rapidly approaching, just one month away on September 10.

Bafana’s other two home matches are against Rwanda on October 15, and Sudan on November 14 or 15.

Safa must also decide whether they elect to play the match against the Sudan on a Friday or Saturday. If they elect for Friday November 14 they will have an extra 24 hours to recover for the last group game away in Nigeria on Wednesday November 19.

South Africa have the advantage of altitude but get bet- ter crowds, and more revenue, at coastal venues in something of a difficult choice for Safa.

The association is also seeking assistance from municipalities with costs of hosting the game, estimated at over R1-million each time.

South Africa are in Group A of the qualifiers and must finish in the top two if they are going to qualify for the 2015 finals in Morocco.

Meanwhile, Home Affairs director general Mkuseli Apleni has promised Premier Soccer League clubs that outstanding applications for work permits for foreign players will be processed by the weekend when the new league season gets under way.

This is according to club officials, who say both the Premier Soccer League and various individual clubs have made representations directly to Apleni to get the permits issued as confusion reigns since the introduction of the controversial new immigration regulations in late May.

Last weekend, clubs competing in the MTN8 were forced to go into action without their new foreign signings or those who had moved club.

Only those foreign players who had existing contracts, like Willard Katsande of Kaizer Chiefs or the Mpumalanga Black Aces’ striker Tendai Ndoro, were able to play in the quarterfinal matches.

All new signings from other countries; players who moved from one club to another like Mame Niang (SuperSport United to Mamelodi Sundowns); those who have new contracts or those whose existing contracts were extended at June 30 this year had to apply for new permits.