Story by Kenias Chivuzhe
THE recently promoted women’s football team, Red Buffalo Queens, are racing against time to raise US$1 500 required for them to participate in the Women’s Premier Soccer League this season.
At the end of last year, the Chitenderano community in Makoni, Manicaland Province celebrated the promotion of a community women’s football team to the top flight.
A few months later, however, it is all looking gloomy for the rural area-based team that is made up of largely students from Nyamidzi secondary school.
Without a sponsor, Red Buffalo Queens are on the brink of missing out on rubbing shoulders with the big girls in the top flight, amid revelations that the team is struggling to raise the affiliation fees which should be paid by March 31.
“Our club was started in 2017 as our players were playing under Passion Academy. We decided to register our team in Division 1 in 2023. In 2024, we rejoiced a lot after gaining promotion into the premier league but we do not have money for affiliation as well as sporting kits. The affiliation fee is US$1 500 while US$260 is needed for the referees every match. We also require transport and accommodation fees for away matches. We are using Vhengere Stadium after our home ground failed to meet the required standards,” Chairperson of Red Buffalo Queens, Tarisai Jim said.
With two weeks before the deadline for the payment of affiliation fees, authorities seem to be losing hope with each passing day and it will be a huge blow to the girl child.
“Our players are from the community and most of them are students. We realised that our children have got talent. We started our own team in 2023, it took time for parents to appreciate the sport until one of our players was bought by FC Platinum,” the team’s Manager, Phillies Mafara said.
“We were relying on funding from parents and well-wishers in the community. Our catchment area consists of local community members and schoolchildren. After gaining promotion into the premier league we need to sign other players to beef up our team but we have failed to do that due to lack of financial resources,” the coach, Kudzai Maibvise said.
Despite the seemingly gloomy situation, morale is very high within the team’s camp, with players believing in miracles.
“I started playing football when I was 14 and I am looking forward to playing for the national team or even outside the country. When we qualified we were so excited because we did not believe that our team would be promoted into the premier league one day,” a player with the team said.
“I started playing football when I was in form one. We worked very hard to qualify to gain promotion into the premier league. I am looking forward to playing soccer on an international level,” another player said.
“I started playing football three years ago and I am 15 years old and we want to make an impact in the premier league. I want to go far playing football and play for the Zimbabwe national team. What excites us is that we stay in rural areas but managed to qualify for the premier league football. I want to take my career to international level,” another player added.
If March 31 passes without any positive news, it will be a huge blow not only to the girl child but also to the rural community that had embraced sport as an empowerment tool.
