Online Reporter
Inside ZIFA
Nqobile Magwizi
WHEN the COSAFA Under-17 Championship kicked off at Ngoni Stadium in Norton, something remarkable happened.
For the first time in years, Zimbabweans were able to witness international football on home soil.
What made it even more special was that the spotlight did not belong to senior internationals, but to the energy, courage and raw brilliance of our youth.
For the fans, it was a return to something they had been longing for. For our players, it was an introduction to the reality of international competition.
For Zimbabwean football, it was a statement that we are ready to host, ready to compete and ready to rebuild.
Fans: The beating heart of Zimbabwean football
What will stay with me longest from this tournament is not just the football itself, but the fans. Norton came alive. The supporters did not simply watch; they participated.
They sang, they cheered, they encouraged. And when the Young Warriors fought bravely, but lost narrowly to Mozambique by a single goal, the fans did something extraordinary.
They stayed behind. They saluted the players one by one. They acknowledged not only the result, but the effort.
This is the essence of football in Zimbabwe. Our people love the game with a deep and enduring passion.
Even after years without hosting international football, the flame has never gone out.
This tournament proved that we can never teach our people how to love football; we only need to provide them with opportunities to express that love.
For many in the stands, it was their first taste of live international action in years. For others, it was their children’s first chance to see the national team in person.
What better way to nurture the next generation of fans than to let them experience the atmosphere, the pride and the drama of the game at this young level!
The benefit of hosting
Hosting tournaments is about much more than football. It is about national pride, community engagement and economic opportunity.
The COSAFA Under-17 Championship brought visitors from across the region. Teams, officials, referees and journalists spent time in our country. Hotels were booked, restaurants welcomed new customers, transport providers found business and local vendors at the stadium benefitted from increased trade.
Each of these ripple effects demonstrates the multiplier effect of sport on the economy.
Equally important is the soft power of hosting. Zimbabwe returned to the regional football map. The images, the stories and the headlines reminded Africa and the world that Zimbabwe is a footballing nation with ambition, hospitality and heart.
All of this feeds into the national agenda of sports tourism and alternative resource mobilisation.
Sport, particularly football, can be a catalyst for neighbourhood renewal and local business growth. These are the benefits we want to see cascade into our communities through football.
Lessons to be learned
For our young players, this was more than a tournament. It became a classroom.
Facing peers who are already attached to leading clubs across the world is the kind of test that cannot be replicated in training.
It is only through competition that one learns the intensity, speed and demands of international football.
What we saw was encouraging. The Young Warriors grew stronger with each match, and in their final group game against Comoros, they showed genuine belief in themselves.
They adapted, they learned and they offered glimpses of a bright future.
There are lessons for ZIFA as well. Preparation for tournaments will now be undertaken well in advance to ensure greater team cohesion. We are in the process of establishing junior leagues across all provinces, which will become the bedrock of our selection process.
Good players will be identified and tracked well before any competition. With player databases available to the public, the opportunity for manipulation of processes will be significantly reduced. Much has been said and written before and during this tournament.
As an organisation committed to continuous growth, we will be having deep conversations with one another and with our stakeholders to build on the progress we have made.
Building on this foundation
As ZIFA, we cannot view this tournament as an isolated event. It must be the starting point for something greater. That means deliberate investment in grassroots football. Pathways must be built from schools and academies into structured development programmes. Our new technical director, with his vast experience, will play a central role in driving this process. It also means better preparation for national teams.
Adequate training camps, international friendlies and modern coaching methods must become standard practice.
Our recent partnership with InnBucks and the involvement of local corporates in COSAFA show that we are moving in the right direction in terms of resource mobilisation.
Player welfare must also be prioritised.
From nutrition to education, from medical care to psychological support, our young athletes need systems that allow them to thrive.
Equally, we must harness corporate partnerships. Just as MWOS transformed Ngoni Stadium, other partners can help us uplift facilities, support tournaments and invest in talent.
We must continue to lobby for hosting opportunities. The fan experience in Norton proves that Zimbabwe is ready. With deliberate planning and investment, we can bring more regional and continental events home.
A new chapter
The COSAFA Under-17 Championship reminded us that football in Zimbabwe is alive. The fans are ready. The players are eager.
The infrastructure can be transformed with the right support. The economy benefits. The international community is watching.
Our responsibility at ZIFA is to ensure that this is not a one-off success. We must embed the lessons, strengthen our systems and plan for sustainability.
To the people of Norton and Waterfalls, and to fans across Zimbabwe, I say thank you. You gave this tournament its soul.
You reminded us of the unbreakable bond between Zimbabwe and football. You showed that even after years of challenges, the spirit of the game lives on.
As we look ahead, let us hold on to that spirit. Let us build on it. And let us ensure that the next time Zimbabwe hosts, whether it is juniors, seniors, women or men, we are ready to deliver not only passion but also excellence.
The COSAFA Under-17 Championship was more than a competition. It was a festival of football, a promise of what is possible, and the beginning of a new chapter.
Together, let us make sure that chapter is written boldly, proudly and with the determination to see Zimbabwean football rise again.
Nqobile Magwizi is the president of Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA).
