2022 GWST roars to life

The eagerly-awaited Gauteng Prestigious Women Soccer Tournament [GWST] is only a few days away to entertain football fanatics with a good brand of football. 

The GWST will take place on 26-27 November 2022. 

The competition will see 16 teams battle it out for the grand prize of R10500 for their efforts. 

So far, 10 teams have been confirmed to be taking part in this tournament of its own kind.

The 10 teams are Rovers FC, Luso Africa, Springs Home Sweepers, Kempton Park Stars, Blue Raycon, Blue Birds Ladies, Diepkloof Ladies, Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, JVW FC and the Zimbabwean side Mandebele Ladies. 

The tournament’s spokesperson Mondli Dube told FARPost that the main aim of this international tournament is to develop women’s football.

And give them a platform to showcase their God-given talent to the world. 

Dube went on to reveal that they noticed the huge gap between men’s and women’s football competitions in our beloved country. 

He further stated that the tournament will be used to touch on the issue of Gender Based Violence [GVB] against women and children, and also the matter of gender equality.

“The tournament is all about women’s development when it comes to soccer,” Dube told this publication.

“As you are aware that we have so many tournaments that are happening within the country but about 70% of them are for men.

“So, we are tackling the side of women’s development, that’s the main reason why we are hosting this tournament and we are also trying to highlight issues such as GBV and gender equality in our country.

He continued: “It’s going to be an international tournament. We have a team that is actually confirmed from Bulawayo in Zimbabwe which is called Mandebele Ladies.

DUBE ON ZIMBABWE BAN BY FIFA

When asked if the participation of Mandebele from Zimbabwe in the tournament wouldn’t be against the country’s [Zim] ban by FIFA, he said: “No it doesn’t affect the tournament because these are the ladies that have been travelling all over Africa. This wouldn’t be the first international tournament that they are partaking in.

“There was a tournament that they took part in Kenya last month. I think it goes back to the organisers of the different tournaments depending on how they have planned and set up the procedures of their tournaments.

“With us, we are more of the development of women. We also have another team from Botswana but they have not confirmed as yet.”

GRAND PRIZES

Winners: R10500 000

Runners-up: R7500 000

Third-place: R3500 000.