{{Short description|Namibian football club}} {{Infobox football club | clubname = Eeshoke Chula Chula FC | image = Eeshoke_Chula_Chula_FC_Logo.png | upright = 0.8 | fullname = | nickname = | founded = 1995 | ground = Oshakati Independence Stadium | capacity = 8,000 | chairman = Tamhila Ambrosius | manager = John Sikerete | league = Namibia Premiership | season = 2023–24 | position = 5th | website = https://www.facebook.com/ChulaChulaFc/ | pattern_la1 = | pattern_b1 = | pattern_ra1 = | pattern_sh1 = | pattern_so1 = | leftarm1 = | body1 = | rightarm1 = | shorts1 = | socks1 = | pattern_la2 = | pattern_b2 = | pattern_ra2 = | pattern_sh2 = | pattern_so2 = | leftarm2 = | body2 = | rightarm2 = | shorts2 = | socks2 = }}

'''Eeshoke Chula Chula FC''' is a Namibian football club based in Eeshoke village near Oshikango in the Ohangwena Region which currently plays in the Namibia Premiership.<ref name="Chula Chula boss disappointed">{{cite web |last1=Tuerijama |first1=John |title=Chula Chula boss disappointed with postponed matches |url=https://www.namibian.com.na/chula-chula-boss-disappointed-with-postponed-matches/ |publisher=The Namibian |access-date=2 July 2024}}</ref>

==Name== The club's name comes from a Okutyuulwa war cry “To tyuulwa keeshoke” which has been anglicized as "chulachula". The village name Eeshoke derives from a species of tall, sharp grass that is common in the area.<ref name="Chula Chula boss disappointed"/>

==Stadium== Eeshoke Chula Chula FC currently plays its home matches at the 8,000-seat Oshakati Independence Stadium until construction of the Eenhana Stadium in the region's capital of Eenhana is completed.<ref name="money on Chula Chula">{{cite web |last1=Heinrich |first1=Max |title=PstBet puts money on Chula Chula |url=https://neweralive.na/posts/pstbet-puts-money-on-chula-chula |publisher=New Era Namibia |access-date=2 July 2024 |archive-date=14 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231014043057/https://neweralive.na/posts/pstbet-puts-money-on-chula-chula |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref>

== History == The club formed informally as a small village team in 1995. It entered the Third Division in 1998. By 2001, the club had reached the Ohangwena Second Division. Between 2001 and 2013, the club bounced between the Second and Third Divisions. Chula Chula made a breakthrough in 2013, reaching the final of the Namibia FA Cup, ultimately falling 0–8 to Orlando Pirates. The club returned to the First Division in 2018 following an undefeated campaign in the third tier. However, financial problems and the COVID-19 pandemic caused a long absence of organized football beginning in Namibia prior to the 2019 season.<ref name="from village fields to top-flight football">{{cite web |last1=Kambukwe |first1=Maurice |title=Chula Chula: A journey of resilience...from village fields to top-flight football |url=https://neweralive.na/posts/chula-chula-a-journey-of-resilience |publisher=New Era Namibia |access-date=2 July 2024 |archive-date=21 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231221112514/https://neweralive.na/posts/chula-chula-a-journey-of-resilience |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref>

Chula Chula FC were champions of the North-East First Division when organized football returned to Namibia for the 2022/2023 season, earning promotion to the Namibia Premier Football League for the first time.<ref name="Make History">{{cite web |last1=Kambukwe |first1=Maurice |title=Chula Chula Make History |url=https://neweralive.na/chula-chula-make-history-2/#google_vignette |publisher=New Era Namibia |access-date=2 July 2024}}</ref> Because of its popularity as the "people's team", the club signed a three-year sponsorship deal with PstBet worth N$1,8m per year.<ref name="Sponsorship Boost">{{cite web |last1=Angula |first1=Victor |title=Eeshoke Chula Chula gets 1.8m Sponsorship Boost from PstBet |url=https://omutumwa.com/2023/10/eeshoke-chula-chula-gets-1-8-mil-sponsorship-boost-from-pstbet/ |publisher=Omutumwa |access-date=2 July 2024}}</ref>

In September 2023, the club played its first match in the top flight, securing a 2–1 victory over Mighty Gunners at its home Oshakati Independence Stadium. The club reported to have sold 17,275 tickets at the 8,000-seat stadium, a new league attendance record.<ref name="Namibian football buzzing">{{cite web |last1=Nembwaya |first1=Hileni |last2=Vatileni |first2=Eino |title=Chula Chula gets Namibian football buzzing |url=https://www.namibian.com.na/chula-chula-gets-namibian-football-buzzing/ |publisher=The Namibian |access-date=2 July 2024}}</ref> The previous record of 7,000 spectators had stood since 2013.<ref name="Chula Chula attracts crowd">{{cite web |last1=Uugwanga |first1=Michael |title=Chula Chula attracts crowd, but for how long? |url=https://confidentenamibia.com/chula-chula-attracts-crowd-but-for-how-long/ |publisher=Confidente Namibia |access-date=2 July 2024}}</ref> The club remained undefeated over the first five matches of the season and sat in fourth place in the league table at that point. During that period, Chula Chula drew 1–1 with reigning champions African Stars in front of a crowd of 38,000.<ref name="plan to dominate football in Namibia">{{cite web |last1=Hamutenya |first1=Karrel |title=Eeshoke Chula Chula is part of a plan to dominate football in Namibia - Barry Rukoro |url=https://sports.theupdatedworld.com/2023/10/Eeshoke-Chula-Chula-is-part-of-a-plan-to-dominate-football-in-Namibia-Barry-Rukoro.html?m=1 |publisher=Sports Updates |access-date=2 July 2024}}</ref> The club continued to draw large crowds throughout the season.<ref name="Yet Another Packed Stadium">{{cite web |last1=Haikera |first1=Annakleta |title=Yet Another Packed Stadium Featuring Eeshoke Chula Chula |url=https://www.eaglefm.com.na/news/sport/yet-another-packed-stadium-featuring-eeshoke-chula-chula/#google_vignette |publisher=Eagle FM |access-date=2 July 2024}}</ref>

In addition to the club's solid league play that season, Chula Chula went on to win the 9th annual Dr. Hage Geingob Cup, defeating favorites African Stars at Windhoek's Independence Stadium. In the process, Chula Chula became the first club to win the competition during its first participation.<ref name="DR. HAGE GEINGOB CUP">{{cite web |title=HISTORIC VICTORY FOR EESHOKE CHULA CHULA IN THE 9TH EDITION OF DR. HAGE GEINGOB CUP |url=https://www.observer24.com.na/historic-victory-for-eeshoke-chula-chula-in-the-9th-edition-of-dr-hage-geingob-cup/ |publisher=Windhoek Observer |access-date=2 July 2024}}</ref> Fans voted for the two clubs that participated, choosing Chula Chula and African Stars after the clubs played the exciting 1–1 draw in front of a large crowd earlier that season.<ref name="Stars, Chula Chula rerun">{{cite web |last1=Tuerijama |first1=John |title=Stars, Chula Chula rerun in Geingob Cup |url=https://www.namibian.com.na/stars-chula-chula-rerun-in-geingob-cup/ |publisher=The Namibian |access-date=2 July 2024}}</ref>

==Recent seasons== ;Key {{legend2|#FFD700|Champion|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} {{legend2|#C0C0C0|Runners-up|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} {{legend2|#CD853F|3rd Place|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

{|class="wikitable" |- style="background:#d92121;" ! rowspan="2" ! style="background:#FABA26; color:#030303; border:2px solid #DD3720;" scope="col"|Season ! colspan="8" ! style="background:#FABA26; color:#030303; border:2px solid #DD3720;" scope="col"|League ! rowspan="2" ! style="background:#FABA26; color:#030303; border:2px solid #DD3720;" scope="col"|FA Cup ! rowspan="2" ! style="background:#FABA26; color:#030303; border:2px solid #DD3720;" scope="col"|Notes |- ! style="background:#FABA26; color:#030303;border:2px solid #DD3720;" scope="col"|League ! style="background:#FABA26; color:#030303;border:2px solid #DD3720;" scope="col"|Div. ! style="background:#FABA26; color:#030303;border:2px solid #DD3720;" scope="col"|Pos. ! style="background:#FABA26; color:#030303;border:2px solid #DD3720;" scope="col"|Pl. ! style="background:#FABA26; color:#030303;border:2px solid #DD3720;" scope="col"|W ! style="background:#FABA26; color:#030303;border:2px solid #DD3720;" scope="col"|D ! style="background:#FABA26; color:#030303;border:2px solid #DD3720;" scope="col"|L ! style="background:#FABA26; color:#030303;border:2px solid #DD3720;" scope="col"|P |- |align=center|2023–24<ref name="Namibia 2023/24">{{cite web |last1=Schöggl |first1=Hans |last2=Stokkermans |first2=Karel |title=Namibia 2023/24 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesn/nami2024.html#nfaprop |publisher=RSSSF |access-date=2 July 2024}}</ref> |align=center|NPFL |align=center|I |align=center|{{center|5th}} |align=center|30 |align=center|12 |align=center|10 |align=center|8 |align=center|46 |align=center| |align=center| |- |}

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == *[https://www.facebook.com/ChulaChulaFc/ Official website] *[https://globalsportsarchive.com/team/soccer/eeshoke-chula-chula-fc/63238/ Global Sports Archive profile]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Eeshoke Chula Chula FC}} Category:Football clubs in Namibia Category:Association football clubs established in 1995