Story by Lawrence Trusida, Sports Editor
THE Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) will this Wednesday conduct draws for the Munhumutapa Cup and Roots Impact programmes across the country’s four regions, marking a key step in efforts to strengthen junior football development.
The initiative is designed to address long-standing gaps in youth structures, including limited competition and inadequate game time, which have hindered talent identification and progression.
ZIFA Technical Director, Mr Dominique Niyonzima said the programme is a strategic intervention aimed at improving the country’s football pipeline.
“This is an assist in football terms. How does that help Zimbabwe score? This programme comes in to address our shortcomings in junior football development,” he said.
A 2021 global report by FIFA identified Zimbabwe’s lack of structured junior competitions as a major weakness, prompting authorities to introduce targeted development programmes.
ZIFA Competitions and Programme Manager, Mr Kudzai Chitima said the new structure will enable systematic talent identification and monitoring.
“The structure is that we can identify talent and keep track of every talent through the FIFA Connect platform. We have been lacking structured competitions. Now, this is where we start to harness our talents,” he said.
ZIFA President, Mr Nqobile Magwizi cautioned that the impact of the initiative will take time to materialise, with benefits expected in the medium term.
“This is a process, and in three to four years we will start getting the results because by then we will have structured junior teams from the talent we are producing,” he said.
The competitions will complement existing football structures, with the winners of the Munhumutapa Challenge Cup earning qualification for the CAF Confederation Cup.
The tournament is expected to run through the 2026 season, forming part of a broader strategy to rebuild Zimbabwe’s football from grassroots level.
