Bantu FC

{{short description|Association football club in Lesotho}} {{citations needed|date=March 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}} {{other uses|Bantu}} {{Infobox football club | clubname = Bantu FC | image = Bantu_FC_Logo.png | fullname = Bantu Football Club | nickname = A Mats'o Matebele | founded = 1927 | ground = Leshoboro Seeiso Sports Complex Mafeteng, Lesotho | capacity = 7,000{{cn|date=November 2023}} | chairman = Leuta John Leuta | Technical Advisor = | coach = Motheo Mohapi | league = Lesotho Premier League | season = 2025–26 | position = 3rd of 16 | | pattern_la1 = _penarol18a | pattern_b1 = _penarol18a | pattern_ra1 = _penarol18a | pattern_sh1 = _penarol18a | pattern_so1 = _toponblack | leftarm1 = FFFFFF | body1 = FFFFFF | rightarm1 = FFFFFF | shorts1 = FFFFFF | socks1 = FFE517

| pattern_la3 = _penarol18t | pattern_b3 = _penarol18t | pattern_ra3 = _penarol18t | pattern_sh3 = _penarol18t | pattern_so3 = _blacktop | leftarm3 = FFFFFF | body3 = FFFFFF | rightarm3 = FFFFFF | shorts3 = FFFFFF | socks3 = 808080 | current = }}

'''Bantu Football Club''' is a Lesotho football club based in Mafeteng. The team currently plays in the Lesotho Premier League.<ref>{{Cite web | title =lesotho premier | publisher =soccerway| date =2014 | url =https://int.soccerway.com/teams/lesotho/bantu-fc/17211/matches/ | accessdate =15 January 2010}}</ref> It last won the Premier League in the 2022–23 season with 68 points.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Premier League 2022/2023 Standings & Team Forms {{!}} Soccer24.com |url=https://www.soccer24.com/lesotho/premier-league-2022-2023/standings/ |access-date=29 December 2024 |website=www.soccer24.com |language=en}}</ref>

==History== {{section citations needed|date=March 2025}} Bantu F.C. was formed in 1927 as Flying Sweeps of Mafeteng and later renamed Bantu F.C. The founders were the then district Commissioner Button in Consultation with the four Principal Chiefs of Mafeteng.

The team was given the name Bantu after it was alleged that the first tribes to arrive in the district were Matebele hence the chiefs had to rule different tribes and clans which were all the Bantu speaking people. Thus, the rationale behind the name was meant to unite all the tribes in Mafeteng.

The team has always been regarded as a district number one priority in Mafeteng district. The traditional colours of Bantu are black and gold which are the celebrated colours of Mafeteng district. The team is nicknamed A Mats’o Matebele and its supporters Makaota. Home stadium is Leshoboro Seeiso Sports Complex in Mafeteng, alternative stadiums are Setsoto and Maputsoe DiFA in Maseru and Leribe respectively.

==Performance in CAF competitions== Bantu represented Lesotho for the first time in CAF Competitions by appearing at the CAF Cup Winners Cup (Confederations Cup) in 1993. Bantu was drawn against Black Africa of Namibia and for the first leg of the preliminary round; it had to travel for a long distance by bus from Mafeteng to Windhoek, Namibia only to find that their opponents won’t play because of Political instability in the country. Then, Bantu progressed to the second round where they played against Witbank Black Aces of South Africa.

*'''CAF Champions League''': 4 appearances

:: 2015– preliminary round :: 2017 – preliminary round :: 2018 – first round :: 2020 – preliminary round

*'''CAF Cup Winners' Cup''': 2 appearances

:: 1994 – first round :: 1998 – preliminary round

*'''CAF Confederation Cup''': 1 appearance

:: 2018 – play-off round

== Honours ==

=== League ===

*'''Lesotho Premier League''' **Winners (5): 2013–14, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2019–20, 2022–23<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesl/lesochamp.html|title = Lesotho — List of Champions}}</ref>

=== Cup competitions ===

*'''Independence Cup''' **Winners (8): 1963, 1993, 1997, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017

*'''Top 8 Cup''' **Winners (1): 2016

*'''People's Cup''' **Winners (1): 2025<ref>{{Cite web |last=Raophala |first=Mauwane |date=17 March 2025 |title=Lehlohonolo Seema lifts trophy with Lesotho side |url=https://farpost.co.za/2025/03/17/lehlohonolo-seema-lifts-trophy-with-lesotho-side/ |access-date=17 March 2025 |website=FARPost |language=en-ZA}}</ref>

==Former coaches== * {{fb |LSO}} Bob Atang Mafoso * {{fb |RSA}} Moeketsi Abram Mongoya * {{fb |RSA}} Thabo Tsutsulupa * {{fb |LSO}} Bob Atang Mafoso * {{fb |RSA}} James Madidilane * {{fb |LSO}} Katiso Mojakhomo * {{fb |LSO}} Motlatsi Shale * {{fb |LSO}} Caswell Moru * {{fb |LSO}} Ntebele 'Tata Mcholene' Taole * {{fb |LSO}} Mokhele Mokhele * {{fb |LSO}} Lehlohonolo Thotanyane * {{flagicon|LES}} Charles Manda (2025–2026)<ref>{{Cite web | title =lesotho premier | publisher =soccerway| date =2014 | url =https://int.soccerway.com/teams/lesotho/bantu-fc/17211/matches/ | accessdate =15 January 2010}}</ref> * {{flagicon|LES}} Motheo Mohapi (2026–)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mahao |first=Seabata |date=June 16, 2025 |title=Mohapi ready for fresh Bantu challenge |url=https://newsdayonline.co.ls/mohapi-ready-for-fresh-bantu-challenge/ |access-date=2026-04-14 |website=Newsdayonline |language=en}}</ref>

==Sponsorship== In September 2025, the club signed a three-year M2.16 million sponsorship deal with Naledi Funeral Planners.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mahao |first=Seabata |date=22 September 2025 |title=Bantu lands massive M2.16m boost from Naledi |url=https://newsdayonline.co.ls/bantu-lands-massive-m2-16m-boost-from-naledi/ |access-date=1 October 2025 |website=Newsdayonline |language=en}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links==  * {{official website|www.bantufc.co.ls}} * [https://int.soccerway.com/teams/lesotho/bantu-fc/17211/ Team profile] at Soccerway

Category:Lesotho Premier League clubs Category:Association football clubs established in 1927