By Thathe Msimango
The 12 men’s teams of the Pro Beach Soccer League South Africa (PBSL) are finally getting a sister league, with a women’s competition set to commence on 14 January!
When the PBSL was first launched two years ago, the goal of the organisation was always to create a women’s league alongside the men’s.
This news was confirmed by the PBSL President Gordon Masondo, who revealed that six teams will be competing in the inaugural league before more are added next season.
“We are bringing ladies to be part of beach soccer now. It’s something we have been discussing for a very long time and we are glad it will be finally happening,” Masondo told Scrolla.Africa.
“The reason why we opted for six teams for now was to make sure that both leagues end at the same time. From next year, we hope to grow it bigger than it is. It is a good thing we are bringing ladies into the sport too. We are trying to let equality be something we live in sports,” he added.
Besides facing some major challenges, Masondo believes the sport can become popular in the country.
“Since the tournament is being played in Durban, we are hoping to stretch it to other parts of the country. Last season, we saw a team from Richard’s Bay winning the league so it shows there is talent in the other places”.
“There are high costs for the clubs travelling to Durban all the time so everyone deserves a chance to host. There are other plans in place but we haven’t finalised it,” the league president concluded.
Pictured above: Beach soccer
Image source: Depositphotos
