Desert Queens earn Women’s Super League promotion after perfect run

Desert Queens FC have secured promotion to Namibia’s Women’s Super League by winning all three of their promotional play-off matches, completing an outstanding first season for the Erongo-based club. The achievement comes less than a year after the team began competing.

The club’s rise also includes victory in the Erongo Women Regional League and the Erongo Women NFA Cup. The current squad only started playing together around September last year, but quickly assembled a campaign that delivered regional success and promotion to the top level.

Desert Queens opened the play-offs against Rehoboth Roses and held a 5-0 advantage at half-time. Rehoboth reduced the gap to 5-3, prompting the technical team to adjust its approach before Desert Queens restored control. In each of the other two matches, the Erongo side conceded first but recovered to win.

Founder and head coach Michael Pengeyo said the promotion reflected the team’s work, planning, sacrifice and confidence in the club’s aim of creating opportunities for young women through football. Preparation for the play-offs was difficult, with only about a week available after the dates were confirmed. Several players were also sitting school examinations, requiring them to combine their studies with training.

The move to the Super League will bring a tougher test. Desert Queens intend to reinforce every area of the squad, including goalkeeper, defence, midfield and attack, while adding players with greater experience. Some of their targets are contracted to other clubs, meaning transfer or release fees could become a significant financial issue.

The club will begin pre-season next week, with current and new players invited to compete for positions. For their first Super League campaign, Desert Queens’ immediate objective is to stay up and build a stable platform for the club’s longer-term development.