The Botswana national football team formed in 1970. The team joined the Confederation of African Football in 1976 and affiliated to FIFA in 1978. Botswana has never qualified for the world cup but recently qualified for its first African Cup of Nations.
Botswana’s first international came in 1968, a few years before the team officially formed. It was not a successful début, the team lost 8-1 to Malawi. Seven goals remains Botswana’s record margin of defeat. The record was equalled in 1990 when the team lost 7-0 to Zimbabwe.
The team first entered world cup qualifying in 1994, but did not register a single win. Botswana lost three out of four group stage matches, only registering a 0-0 draw with Ivory Coast at home to save some face. The next attempt, for the 2002 world cup, was no more successful. Botswana lost both legs of a tie with Zambia.