This year's Council of Southern Africa Football Association (COSAFA) Castle Cup tournament sponsorship has been increased to M1.88 million, the Association has announced.

A breakdown of the prize monies shows that the winners will earn M550 000 and runners-up M280 000. Semi - finalists will each receive M120 000 with mini-group runners up pocketing M100 000; third place winners receiving M90 000 and fourth place finishers getting M80 000.

Meanwhile, Lesotho's senior national team, Likuena will resume COSAFA Castle Cup mini tournament preparations next week. Interim coach Seepheephe 'Mochine' Matete said he would be meeting Lesotho Football Association (LEFA) authorities to finalise Likuena's training programme from now to the April beginning of the tournament.

The training programme would be arranged in such a way that it would not interrupt the domestic league fixture for premiership teams. He would also like to play at least two international friendly games, possibly against Botswana and Swaziland before April

Lesotho will be hosting the COSAFA mini-tournament for the first time with the locals opening this year's event with a game against Mozambique on April 29.

Likuena last qualified for the COSAFA Castle Cup finals in 2000 where they lost against Zimbabwe with a 6-0 aggregate score.

17 January 2006