Vodacom Premier League to begin on August 28

Lioli begin their title defence on August 28

The 2016/17 Vodacom Premier League season will kick off on August 28, the league has confirmed. Although the full fixtures list is yet to be released, the start date for the new campaign is now known.

The 14-team league will also be boosted by a bump in sponsorship money from sponsors Vodacom Lesotho when it begins. 

The telecommunications giant has increased its league sponsorship from M1 million last season to M1.136 million for the 2016/17 campaign. The new premiership season will see Lioli out to win a third successive title while Sky Battalion and Butha-Buthe Warriors will replace the relegated duo of Mphatlalatsane and Likila United.

To rugby and the MCC Rugby Sevens tournament will continue at the end of the month as it winds down to its finale. The eight-team league is led by Warriors who are unbeaten in their seven games. Warriors are followed by Mabote Beavers A, NUL Spears and The Royals respectively in the standings. The MCC Rugby Sevens competition, which was introduced last year, is played in rugby’s shorter seven-a-side format.

Staying with rugby and the Federation of Lesotho Rugby has also announced that the second phase of the Lesotho Rugby League season will start in August and end in October. The FLR has also revealed a slight change that will now see the Lesotho Rugby League play hand-in-hand with high school games.

From now on, venues will host games from both competitions on the same day in effort to boost local rugby.

High school games will be played from 9am until 1pm before Lesotho Rugby League matches kick off from 1pm to 5pm in the afternoon.