Image by MTN
MTN Eswatini has added E100,000 (approx. US$6,000) to the 2026 PLE Charity Cup, taking the tournament’s sponsorship pot to E1.675 million (approx. US$101,000).
The Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) put up E1.5 million (approx. US$90,000) of its own money when it relaunched the competition. Nedbank Eswatini later added E75,000 (approx. US$4,500), and Orchard Insurance joined without disclosing its contribution. MTN’s money is on top of its three-year, E22.5 million (approx. US$1.36 million) title sponsorship of the MTN Premier League, a partnership the operator says now spans 24 years.
Fans paid E3 per vote, by mobile or through the PLE website, to choose the competing teams, a format that suits a mobile operator.
“The prize money was completely funded by PLE as we didn’t have any sponsors when we launched the return of the cup, so any sponsorship that we acquire is directed towards prizes and the event costs,” PLE Brand and Marketing Manager Nqobile Simelane told the Times of Eswatini.
The disclosed corporate money comes to E175,000, approximately a tenth of the pot. The E2 million (approx. US$120,000) title sponsorship the league put on offer at launch is still unsold. Whether the cup can run again next year without the league paying most of the costs will probably depend on finding a title partner.
Recommended for you
