In brief
On November 9, 2026 a China‑backed football tournament in Windhoek brought together students from six Namibian institutions and featured a Chinese Kung‑Fu showcase. The event, organized by China Railway Seventh Group Namibia and Namibian partner bodies, ended with a victory for UNAM’s team and highlighted plans for annual fixtures and internships that could open new professional paths for students.
In a packed matchday at Windhoek’s Independence Stadium on Sunday, Chinese enterprises helped orchestrate the first Khomas inter‑tertiary solidarity football tournament, drawing teams from six Namibian schools and universities for a one‑day competition that aimed to blend sport with future opportunities.
Before kick‑off, the field was enlivened by students from Yuan Jue Private School who performed a traditional Chinese Kung‑Fu routine. Their footwork, powerful kicks and sparring displays drew cheers from the spectators, setting a tone of cultural exchange ahead of the football action.
The event was organised by China Railway Seventh Group Namibia (Pty) Ltd., the Tertiary Institutes Sports Association of Namibia and the Association of Chinese Enterprises in Namibia. Its participants were teams from Triumphant College, the International University of Management, the University of Namibia (UNAM), the Namibia University of Science and Technology, Windhoek Vocational Training Center and Gobabis Vocational Training Center.
Competition format was straightforward: seven teams played in a round‑robin phase, followed by a Final between the top two. The decisive clash featured UNAM against Gobabis, and the match was settled by a single goal from Sakeus Iita, who became the tournament’s leading scorer.
The late‑morning victory gave UNAM its first trophy. Iita, who celebrated in front of an enthusiastic crowd, said the win was a testament to collective effort and praised the sponsors for allowing campus sport to shine.
"I feel happy. It's a good moment," Iita told Xinhua, crediting the win to his team's collective effort.
Earlier, Irvine Ndjavera, deputy director for school sport development at Namibia’s Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, had opened the event by emphasising that the friendship between Namibia and China is built not only through infrastructure, but also “through people, through the youth and through sports.” He thanked the Chinese sponsors, noting their confidence in Namibia’s young future.
At a closing remark, Khomas Governor Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma welcomed the organisers’ pledge to provide engineering and technical students with practical training and structured internships. He added that the tournament’s purpose “does not end with a final whistle,” urging continued collaboration to turn sporting enthusiasm into professional pathways.
The partnership offers concrete plans for sustained student engagement. Xinhua notes that organisers will develop an annual sporting fixture across Namibia, hold regular skill‑transfer sessions, and open internship programs that allow engineering, construction and trade students to work alongside Chinese firms on real projects. These efforts aim to add a tangible career ladder beyond the pitch.
Across the country, the tournament’s supporters see more than a day of football; they view it as a practical model of how international corporate involvement can seed local development. For the 19‑year‑olds and young adults who will soon graduate, exposure to corporate sponsorships, trade‑skills training and cross‑cultural exchange could translate into jobs with Namibia’s growing infrastructure and construction sectors, where Chinese builders are already active.
Thus, the tournament serves as a microcosm of broader Switzerland‑Namibia socio‑economic ties. Students from diverse educational institutions experience direct links between sporting achievement, personal growth and emerging labour markets. The event’s institutional backing—spanning local educational bodies, national ministries and foreign enterprises—demonstrates a civic model that places youth development at the centre of bilateral engagement and paves a path for future public accountability in investment and training opportunities.
