The Botswana national football team is nicknamed the Zebras - after the country's national animal, with its striking black-and-white stripes. The team competes in African Cup of Nations qualifiers and other continental tournaments, and matches bring the whole nation together. Wearing the Zebras jersey is a source of great pride.
Club football is organised through the Botswana Premier League, where teams from Gaborone and other cities compete each season. Some of the most popular clubs have passionate fan bases that fill stadiums with colour, chanting and drums. The atmosphere at a big league match is electric.
Football in Botswana is not just for boys. Girls' football has grown rapidly and is actively promoted in schools. The Botswana women's national team - also called the Mares - competes internationally, and more girls than ever are playing organised football from a young age. Schools hold regular inter-school tournaments that are eagerly awaited.
Many children in Botswana grow up playing with homemade balls - plastic bags stuffed and tied tightly, or cloth wrapped around a bundle of rags. These makeshift balls are a reminder that football needs nothing except players, a space, and the desire to play. The simplicity of the game is part of why it is loved everywhere.