The launch of the 2021 Discovery Walter Sisulu Soccer Challenge was in full swing on November 25 as Discovery and the South African Football Association (Safa) joined forces to reignite the tournament.
The 2021 Discovery Walter Sisulu Soccer Challenge, which will be hosted at Shapa Soweto, will start on December 8 and finish on December 29.
Soweto’s newly renovated Nike Football Training Centre in Soweto – which has been renamed Shapa Soweto – will be home to 120 football teams from December 8. The challenge started in 2002 as an initiative to encourage teenagers and young adults to be active with the power of football.
Head of Vitality Wellness at Discovery Vitality, Dr Mosima Mabunda said, “Events such as these are part of Vitality’s global pledge to make 100 million
people 20% more active by 2025. We were forced to pause sport last year [2020]. We cleared pitches and abandoned goalposts. Two years on and we’re ready to bring this fabulous football festival back to the people of Soweto but, with one caveat that all spectators will need to be vaccinated.”
The president of Safa Johannesburg, Phil Mogodi, encouraged die-hard football supporters to visit the arena once the tournament commence. He addressed that there will be only be one condition for the participants and spectators – that all members are fully vaccinated before entering the arena. Although the focus of the challenge is to showcase the talents of young players, the alternative main focus of the challenge is to increase the number of vaccinations in the country.
All team registrations are due to close on November 30. For the spectators, entry will be free as long as proof of vaccination is provided to the officials.
