{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox football club | clubname = Matebele FC | image = Matebele_FC_Logo.png | image_size = 180px | fullname = Matebele Football Club | nickname = Kuka Ntsu | founded = {{start date and age|df=yes|2021}} | ground = The Nest<br />[[Matebeleng]], [[Botswana]] | capacity = 500 | owner = Lame Makache | director = | manager = | league = [[Botswana Premier League]] | season = [[2024–25 Botswana Premier League|2024–25]] | position = 12th | chrtitle = | chairman = | website = }}
'''Matebele FC''' is a [[Botswana]]n [[association football|football]] club based in [[Matebeleng]], [[Kgatleng District]] that currently competes in the [[Botswana Premier League]].
==Stadium== Matebele FC plays its home matches at its own stadium, The Nest, in [[Matebeleng]].<ref name="The Nest">{{cite web |last1=Boranabi |first1=Kabelo |title=Matebele assembles the Nest ahead of debut |url=https://www.mmegi.bw/sports/matebele-assembles-the-nest-ahead-of-debut/news |publisher=Mmegi Online |access-date=4 July 2024}}</ref>
==History== Matebele FC was founded in 2021 after former [[Botswana First Division South|First Division South]] club Masters Blackpool FC was purchased and dissolved. Matebele FC was formed and took the club's place in the league. There was some backlash from fans as Lame Makache converted the club from a society to a business entity during the acquisition and rebranding process in order to meet licensing requirements.<ref name="Storm Brews">{{cite web |last1=Mowaneng |first1=Godfrey |title=Storm brews over Master Blackpool status |url=https://www.sundaystandard.info/storm-brews-over-master-blackpool-status/ |publisher=The Sunday Standard |access-date=4 July 2024}}</ref> During its first season under the Matebele FC name, the club finished fourth in the league and reached the semi-finals of the [[Botswana FA Challenge Cup]] before falling 1–2 to [[Gaborone United S.C.|Gaborone United]].<ref name="FA Cup Showpiece">{{cite web |last1=Kannemeyer Obenne |first1=Molefhi |title=Matebele FC – Epitome of FA Cup Showpiece |url=https://www.thegazette.news/sport/matebele-fc-epitome-of-fa-cup-showpiece/ |publisher=The Botswana Gazette |access-date=4 July 2024}}</ref><ref name="Rise from the Ashes">{{cite web |last1=Sennamose |first1=Olekantse |title=Matebele Rise from the Ashes of Blackpool |url=https://dailynews.gov.bw/news-detail/73430 |publisher=Botswana Daily News |access-date=4 July 2024}}</ref>
In May 2023, the club clinched promotion to the [[Botswana Premier League]] for the first time for the [[2023–24 Botswana Premier League|2023–24 season]] by winning the First Division South.<ref name="Big Boys">{{cite web |title=Jubilant Matebele join ‘Big Boys’ league |url=https://www.mmegi.bw/ampArticle/108221 |publisher=Mmegi Online |access-date=4 July 2024}}</ref> In preparation for the season and its first top-flight match on 19 September 2023 against [[Botswana Police XI SC|Police XI]], the club held a training camp in neighboring [[Namibia]] and participated in a tournament also featuring five clubs from the [[Namibia Premiership]].<ref name="Matebele Sets Up Camp in Namibia">{{cite web |title=Matebele Sets Up Camp in Namibia...Matches Planned Against Local Opponents |url=https://neweralive.na/matebele-set-up-camp-in-namibia-matches-planned-against-local-opponents-2/ |publisher=New Era |access-date=4 July 2024}}</ref><ref name="promotion in Botswana">{{cite web |last1=Chitakasha |first1=Danai |title=Chinyemba celebrates another promotion in Botswana |url=https://www.herald.co.zw/chinyemba-celebrates-another-promotion-in-botswana/amp/ |publisher=The Zimbabwe Herald |access-date=4 July 2024}}</ref>
==Domestic history== ;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:; color:; border:2px solid ;" scope="col"|Season ! colspan="10"! style="background:; color:; border:2px solid ;" scope="col"|League ! rowspan="2" ! style="background:; color:; border:2px solid ;" scope="col"|Domestic Cup ! rowspan="2" ! style="background:; color:; border:2px solid ;" scope="col"|Notes |- ! style="background:; color:;border:2px solid ;" scope="col"|Div. ! style="background:; color:;border:2px solid ;" scope="col"|Pos. ! style="background:; color:;border:2px solid ;" scope="col"|Pl. ! style="background:; color:;border:2px solid ;" scope="col"|W ! style="background:; color:;border:2px solid ;" scope="col"|D ! style="background:; color:;border:2px solid ;" scope="col"|L ! style="background:; color:;border:2px solid ;" scope="col"|GF ! style="background:; color:;border:2px solid ;" scope="col"|GA ! style="background:; color:;border:2px solid ;" scope="col"|GD ! style="background:; color:;border:2px solid ;" scope="col"|P |- |- |align=center|[[2023–24 Botswana Premier League|2023/2024]]<ref name="Botswana 2023/24">{{cite web |last1=Schöggl |first1=Hans |last2=Stokkermans |first2=Karel |title=Botswana 2023/24 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesb/bots2024.html |publisher=RSSSF |access-date=4 July 2024}}</ref> |align=center|[[Botswana Premier League|1st]] |{{center|11th}} |align=center|30 |align=center|7 |align=center|11 |align=center|12 |align=center|32 |align=center|36 |align=center|-4 |align=center|32 |align=center| |align=center| |- |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090911826842 Official website] *[https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Nest-The-Home-of-Matebele-FC-100084471374148/?paipv=0&eav=AfbsJ9Eg3MP93U1g0vrL5orNhUEjr8jgYAQz3cYRN_TBJ0U2AtpLbd6_4PKoKZUv3yI&_rdr Ground official website] *[https://www.soccerway.com/teams/botswana/matebele/63409/ Soccerway profile] *[https://globalsportsarchive.com/team/soccer/matebele-fc/62969/ Global Sports Archive profile] *[https://www.bfa.co.bw/team/matebele-fc/ Botswana FA profile]
{{Botswana Premier League}}
[[Category:Association football clubs established in 2021]] [[Category:Football clubs in Botswana]]