By Chris Dlamini
The MTN Premier League title is the one ticket remaining to the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League – Mbabane Swallows are currently at the top of things for it.
Should ‘Umkhonto Ka-Shaka’ hold on to the end and win the league, they will have earned it through their hard work. Swallows have already missed out on the CAF Confederation Cup ticket after losing to Green Mamba in the Ingwenyama Cup 2024 final over a week ago.
It has emerged, however, that Umkhonto KaShaka as Swallows are also candidly known, have an advantage over their other rivals in the race to play in one of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) inter-club tournaments.
With Green Mamba also vying for the Champions League ticket and out to defend their league title, it leaves Swallows with the advantage of taking the Confederation Cup spot if the ‘Correctional Services’ side go on to defend their league crown.
Swallows sit at the summit after this weekend with a two-point advantage but must still face off with tricky and tough sides like Illovo, Manzini Sea Birds, and Mbabane Highlanders as well as Young Buffaloes.
The latter two are also in the title race, even though for Highlanders, it will take winning all their remaining games and hoping other results favour them.
Buffaloes, on the other hand, may be suspended by CAF for the next two editions of the inter-club tournaments after their late and costly withdrawal last August due to the expensive costs of playing these competitions.
So, even if fourth-placed Buffaloes win the league, it would take Swallows finishing in the second spot to qualify for the Champions League while currently third-placed Green Mamba go to the Confed Cup.
On the second spot at this moment is Royal Leopard, but they are level on 38 points with Green Mamba and Buffaloes. Leopard play Green Mamba this weekend, while Swallows play a tricky Illovo and Buffaloes take on Highlanders who are sixth and eight points behind the leaders.
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Also in for the title and CAF ticket is Nsingizini Hotspurs, who can also get it if they finish second, but the title winners would have to be Buffaloes who are suspended for the competition. In essence, it is Swallows who have the advantage already with Green Mamba looking the part to defend the league title with five games to go.
Should that be the case, the Ingwenyama Cup champions will be expected to hand the Confed Cup ticket to their runners-up and that is Swallows who would be making a return since their 2018 accolades for finishing in the group stages.
Eswatini Football Association (EFA) Marketing and Communications Officer Muzi Radebe seemed to suggest the contrary, though.
“A team that wins the league qualifies provided they meet the CAF Club Licensing Regulations,” he responded but did not go further when the CAF rules were put to him regarding Buffaloes case.
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Buffaloes’ withdrawal came when they were already due to South Africa’s debutante in Sekhukhune United if they won, a Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) opponent was next and both games would cost them over E1m on top of other debts they already piling up on them.
EFA President Peter ‘Samora’ Simelane had last August affirmed Buffaloes withdrawal and the possible CAF sanctions that would also cost the local football mother body.
The CAF rules under Article XI (5) state that ‘A withdrawal reported during the preliminary round is sanctioned with the loss of the entry right as well as a fine of US$5 000 (around E95 000 last August for Buffaloes). The EFA, as per Article XI (2), also shoulders financial consequences decided by the Organising Committee.
It further provides in Article XI(10) that ‘Apart from the financial sanctions mentioned in paras 4 and 5 of the rules, every club withdrawing from the competition after the establishment of the will be forbidden from participating in all CAF inter-clubs competitions for the next two editions following its withdrawal. No immediate comment could be obtained from Buffaloes.
HOW BIRDS HAVE CAF ADVANTAGE:
– They are gunning for the league title and are leaders at the moment with five games to spare.
– If Swallows hold onto the top spot in the last five games, they earn a CAF Champions League ticket.
– If the league title goes to defending champions, Green Mamba, who already own the CAF Confederation Cup ticket after beating Swallows in the Ingwenyama Cup 2024 final just under a fortnight ago, it is expected the former will pick the Champions League, then leaving the Confed Cup ticket to their runners-up.
– If Young Buffaloes win the league, the runners-up will take the Champions League spot, and Swallows can qualify if they finish second best.
– If Buffaloes win it, Swallows must be the runners-up unless the champions are Green Mamba. It will not matter where in the top four Swallows finish. They will play in the Confed Cup.
– If it’s Leopard, Nsingizini, or even Highlanders winning the league, then there will be no CAF for Swallows.