BULLISH ZIFA INK STRATEGIC DEALS

Chikamhi Zimpapers Sports Hub

ZIMBABWEAN football is set for a major digital transformation while also enhancing its grassroots development blueprint following the signing of two key strategic partnerships between ZIFA and local brands in Harare yesterday.

ZIFA president Nqobile Magwizi believes the MOUs with Kyros Sports and PD House will be critical in the pathway they are taking towards resuscitating domestic football in the digital era.

The association are looking to ramp up their schools’ football development drive through their partnership with Kyros Sport, who have made significant contributions in disciplines such as rugby, athletics and swimming.

PD House, a leading web development company, has also been roped in to transform the association’s website to international standards, making ZIFA more accessible and engaging and at the same time unlocking new revenue streams through various technological innovations.

“This is one of many partnership deals we hope to be signing as we go into the future as we go towards transforming our football,” said Magwizi.

“One of the critical aspects of building sport is making sure that it’s well resourced. Resourcing sport, and football in particular, does not only require people that are going to bring in money, but it requires us to create environments or ecosystems that will generate the revenues we need to make football move forward.

“So, a lot of the engagements we’ve been doing are aimed at generating capacity in all spheres of our thrust as an association to build the sport.”

The new ZIFA president reckoned the association stands to derive financial spin-offs from the partnerships.

“I think the beauty about the agreements that we are getting into is that ZIFA is not laying out a single cent but we are going to stand to benefit from these relationships financially.

“Of course, there is a lot of work that has to go in first in establishing the projects and hence we have these partners who are able, who are going to be working with us to ensure that these projects are established and then they can start also generating revenue which we very much need for the growth of our football in Zimbabwe.”