The Namibia national football team represents Namibia in men's international football and is controlled by the Namibia Football Association. They have never qualified for the FIFA World Cup but have made four appearances in the Africa Cup of Nations. The team represents both FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF).
History Namibia played its first international under the name South-West Africa on 16 May 1989 at home against neighbouring Angola and lost 1–0. On 23 March 1990, only two days after gaining independence from South Africa, they hosted neighbour Zimbabwe and lost 5–1. On 7 June, they lost a home friendly 2–1 to Mauritius. Namibia's next contests were played in Lesotho, where they lost 2–0 to their hosts on 1 August 1992, but gained their first ever draw in a 2–2 tie against the same opposition the very next day. Namibia's first win came on 1 July 1994 in a 1–0 victory away over Botswana in a friendly. On 17 May 1998, Namibia played their first match outside of Africa and against non-African opposition, losing 2–1 in a friendly in France against Saudi Arabia.
Namibia has made four appearances in the African Cup of Nations, going out in the first round in their first three competitions and going out in the Round of 16 in their fourth competition. In 1998, Namibia lost to Ivory Coast 4–3 and drew Angola 3–3 before losing to South Africa 4–1. In 2008, Namibia lost to Morocco 5–1 and to Ghana 1–0 but drew Guinea 1–1 in their last match. In 2019, they lost all their group games scoring only a single goal. They lost to Morocco 1–0, and suffered the same loss to South Africa before losing to Ivory Coast 4–1.
Namibia reached the Round of 16 for the first time in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where they lost 3–0 against Angola.
Results and fixtures
The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
2025
2026
2027
Coaching history
Caretaker managers are listed in italics.
Eric Muinjo (1992–1993) Shepherd Murape (1994–1995) Ruston Mogane (1997–1998) Mlungisi Ngubane (1998) Seth Boois (1998–1999) Heinz-Peter Überjahn (1999) Herman Katjiuongua (2000) Lucky Richter (2000) Ted Dumitru (2000–2003) Shepherd Murape (2004) Ben Bamfuchile (2006–2007) Arie Schans (2007–2008) Tom Saintfiet (2008–2010) Brian Isaacs (2010–2011) Bernard Kaanjuka (2011–2013) Roger Palmgren (2013) Ricardo Mannetti (2013–2015) Fillemon Kanalelo (2015) Ricardo Mannetti (2015–2019) Bobby Samaria (2019–2021) Collin Benjamin (2022–present)
Players
Current squad The following players were called up to the squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF Group H matches against Malawi and Equatorial Guinea on 20 and 24 March 2025.
Caps and goals correct as of 28 March 2026, after the match against Comoros.
Recent call-ups The following players have been called up for Namibia in the last 12 months.
DEC Player refused to join the team after the call-up. INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury. PRE Preliminary squad. RET Player has retired from international football. SUS Suspended from the national team.
Previous squads Africa Cup of Nations squads 1998 African Cup of Nations squad 2008 Africa Cup of Nations squad 2019 Africa Cup of Nations squad 2023 Africa Cup of Nations squad
Player records
Players in bold are still active with Namibia.
Most appearances
RankPlayerCapsGoalsCareer1Deon Hotto86122013–present2Denzil Haoseb8502011–20243Petrus Shitembi8142011–20244Ronald Ketjijere7022010–20195Willy Stephanus6932011–present6Ananias Gebhardt6622011–present7Johannes Hindjou66101996–2005Absalom Iimbondi6672015–presentPeter Shalulile66202014–present10Larry Horaeb6202011–2021
Top goalscorers
RankPlayerGoalsCapsRatioCareer1Peter Shalulile20662014–present2Rudolph Bester13462004–20143Deon Hotto12862013–present4Gervatius Urikhob11451992–20035Eliphas Shivute10421992–2001Johannes Hindjou10661996–20057Elmo Kambindu9312019–presentBenson Shilongo9362011–20219Hendrik Somaeb8312011–2019Ruben van Wyk8361994–2002
Competitive record
FIFA World Cup FIFA World Cup recordQualification recordYearRoundPosition*1930 to 1990 Part of Part of 1994Did not qualify4004012 19988224918 200210136727 2006201114 20106204712 20148323104 2018411235 20228323911 2026104331310 2030To be determinedTo be determined 2034Total–––––––6016143059103
Africa Cup of Nations Africa Cup of Nations recordYearRoundPosition*1957to1990Part of 1992to1994Did not enter 1996Did not qualify1998Group stage1430127112000Did not qualify2002200420062008Group stage143012272010Did not qualify20122013201520172019Group stage23rd3003162021Did not qualify2023Round of 1615th4112172025Did not qualify2027To be determined 2029TotalRound of 164/35131391131
African Nations Championship African Nations Championship recordAppearances: 2YearRoundPosition* 2009Did not qualify 2011 2014 2016 2018Quarter-finals 7th421133 2020Group stage15th301204 2022Did not enter 2024Did not qualifyTotalQuarter-finals2/7722337
COSAFA Cup
Head-to-head record against other nations Updated on 3 October 2026 after match against Russia
OpponentPldWDLGFGAGD 4 0 0 4 0 7 −7 16 0 7 9 9 25 −16 2 1 0 1 8 4 +4 20 2 11 7 18 19 −1 3 0 0 3 2 11 −9 4 1 1 2 7 8 –1 4 3 0 1 7 4 +3 6 1 2 3 3 8 −5 9 3 2 4 8 8 0 7 2 2 3 4 9 −5 2 2 0 0 4 0 +4 3 1 1 1 7 4 +3 6 0 1 5 6 23 −17 2 2 0 0 4 1 +3 2 2 0 0 4 2 +2 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 2 0 2 0 2 2 0 4 2 1 1 5 5 0 3 0 1 2 0 2 −2 10 1 2 7 4 19 −15 2 0 1 1 0 1 −1 1 0 0 1 0 2 −2 6 2 1 3 8 13 −5 1 0 0 1 0 2 −2 8 4 1 3 6 5 +1 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 13 5 5 3 15 14 +1 3 1 3 2 4 6 –2 2 1 0 1 2 2 0 8 4 1 3 11 10 +1 18 9 4 5 23 18 +5 8 1 3 4 4 8 −4 4 2 0 2 5 4 +1 7 0 1 6 2 15 −13 20 10 6 4 25 14 +11 3 1 0 2 2 3 −1 4 0 1 3 1 8 −7 1 0 0 1 0 6 −6 4 0 3 1 3 6 −3 2 2 0 0 5 0 +5 2 0 0 2 1 3 −2 8 1 0 7 5 24 −19 7 4 3 0 15 5 +10 14 1 5 8 10 27 −17 9 1 4 4 8 10 −2 4 0 2 2 1 4 −3 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 7 2 1 4 3 11 −8 22 2 11 9 11 27 −16 15 7 0 8 26 29 –3 Total 313 82 90 141 302 433 −131
Honours Regional COSAFA Cup Champions (1): 2015 Runners-up (4): 1997, 1999, 2022, 2024
References
External links
Namibia Football Association official website Namibia at CAF Namibia at FIFA Kits