UMZUKULU KAMHLANGANYELWA
Eswatini is teeing up for one of its biggest sporting events of the year after officially launching the FNB Eswatini Challenge, a major tournament on the professional Sunshine Tour, with leaders declaring it a game changer for tourism and the economy.
The prestigious tournament, which will be played at the Ezulwini Golf & Country Club from 13 to 15 August 2026, is expected to attract top professional golfers, international visitors, media and sports fans from across Southern Africa.
The official launch brought together the Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs, Honourable Bongani Nzima, FNB Eswatini Chief Executive Officer Thokozani Dlamini, the Chief Executive Officer of the Eswatini Tourism Authority, and other leading figures in the country’s sporting fraternity.
Speaker after speaker praised the tournament as more than just a golfing competition, saying it will help drive visitor numbers, boost local businesses and cement Eswatini’s reputation as a leading sports tourism destination.
The event is backed by First National Bank, whose partnership with organisers aims to strengthen the country’s sporting landscape while creating new opportunities for tourism and economic growth.
Hotels, restaurants, transport operators and small businesses are all expected to benefit as players, officials and supporters descend on the Kingdom for the three-day golfing spectacle.
With excitement already building, organisers believe the FNB Eswatini Challenge will put Eswatini firmly in the spotlight and showcase the Kingdom as a destination capable of hosting world-class sporting events.
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