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Raymond Jaravaza . .
THIS yeara��s edition of the Cosafaa��s Women Championships will have an all-women referees panel drawn from Southern African countries, B-Metro Sport has learnt.
And in addition to all the matches being officiated by women, entry into the hosting stadiums a�� Barbourfields and Luveve a�� will be free, a move that is set to attract huge crowds of local football fans.
a�?All the games will be officiated by women as is the norm with tournaments of this magnitude including the Africa Women Cup of Nations. Cosafa will take care of the security and all the local logistics that come with hosting such a tournament,a�? said Xolisani Gwesela, the Zifa communications manager.
a�?Cosafa in consultation with the tournamenta��s local organising committee (Loc) has decided not to charge entry fees for the matches. We call upon the Bulawayo football community to take advantage of the free entry gesture to come in their numbers for these games,a�? he added.
The revised tournament roars into life next week in Bulawayo with 12 countries set to take part in the biggest womena��s football regional tournament that was last held in 2011 and won by Zimbabwe.
St Columbua��s High School, Hartsfield Ground and the Heath Streak Cricket Academy ground have been earmarked as training venues.
Teams have been grouped into three groups of four, with Namibia and Botswana set to get the ball rolling in a morning kick-off at Barbourfields Stadium on 13 September.
That game will be followed by a clash between Zambia and Malawi in the afternoon.
The hosts, the Mighty Warriors, get their first match under way against Madagascar across town at Luveve on the same day.
The tournament ends on 24 September.
derick.khumalo