Story by Lawrence Trusida,Sports Editor
ZIMBABWE is in the continental spotlight as it hosts the 2026 CAF African Schools Championship in Harare, with 16 nations battling for honours in a tournament seen as a major boost for the country’s football credentials.
Matches are being played at Gateway High School, while the final is set for Ngoni Stadium, where CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe is expected to be the guest of honour.
The fourth edition of the championship marks the first time Zimbabwe is hosting a continental-level CAF-sanctioned event, signalling growing confidence in the country’s capacity to stage major competitions.
The tournament burst into life on Monday, bringing together emerging football talent from across Africa in what organisers describe as a milestone moment for Zimbabwean football.
ZIFA President Nqobile Magwizi welcomed the development, describing the championship as a significant vote of confidence in the country’s organisational capacity.
“We are very pleased to be staging this tournament it is massive for the country, it shows the confidence that CAF has in us remember we have been hosting regional tournaments and now we have gone continental, there are so many benefits from sports tourism to placing Zimbabwe on the football map as a capable host and the nest generation of administrators and technical officials is also being nurtured by the best in the continent,” he said.
While the action unfolds on the pitch, an equally powerful story is being written off it through a range of development programmes shaping the future of African football.
From the Young Reporters Programme to referee and sports medicine workshops, the tournament is doubling as a learning hub for young people, equipping them with critical skills beyond the game.
Adding star power to the occasion, several African football legends are in the country, inspiring the next generation and sharing invaluable knowledge with participants.
These include defender Karrim Haggui, who won the 2004 AFCON with Tunisia before spending the greater part of his career showcasing his skills in the Bundesliga with Strasbourg, Bayer Leverkusen and Hannover 96, among other clubs.
“This is one of the best tournaments around. I started as a youngster, and there was no structured pathway, not that there is, and it’s making African Football better as scouts and football education are going on. I also encourage the young players to be disciplined because talent without discipline is nothing, and you won’t go anywhere,” Haggui noted.
The competition continues at Gateway School as teams battle for the US$300 000 in prize money.
In Zimbabwe, however, the battle is now to secure a respectable finish after the under-15 boys failed to reach the semi-finals after a draw with DRC before losing 2-1 to Morocco.
The young Warriors will now compete in the placement matches.
