Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo [email protected]
ZIMBABWE has strengthened its position on the African football landscape, with the Caf leadership yesterday applauding the positive trajectory of the game in the country. The continental body’s top brass were in attendance at the Cosafa 2026 Elective General Assembly held in Harare yesterday.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe made a brief but significant visit, arriving less than 12 hours after presiding over the coronation ceremony in the Caf Confederation Cup final played in Cairo, Egypt, on Saturday night.
This marked his second visit to Zimbabwe within a month, having attended the Caf Under-15 Schools Tournament last month.
He was accompanied by Caf first vice-president Fouzi Lekjaa, with the Royal Moroccan Football Federation chief visiting Zimbabwe for the first time. Mozambican Football Federation president Feizal Sidat, who serves as Caf’s fifth vice-president, was also part of the delegation.
It was fitting that the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Barbara Rwodzi, together with ZIFA president Nqobile Magwizi, welcomed Motsepe at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, as sports tourism in the country continues to gather momentum.
“For us, it’s great as a country and as a government, it’s addressing our soft diplomacy side of things, where we want the world to know and to demystify the perception about Zimbabwe that has been known for the past years.
“And sports tourism and religious tourism is doing very well in that aspect. So we welcome the president of Caf, we welcome the people I think that are here for Cosafa, and this is a great thing for our country, but also for the government,” said Rwodzi.
Motsepe said Zimbabwe has made significant strides in football development since Magwizi assumed the Zifa presidency in January last year.
“Zimbabwe made us proud during the Caf Under-15 Schools Championships. And there are many other competitions we can host here. You see, part of our challenge is to prove to our people and to the government that to invest in football, and also to invest in sports, but my prime duty is football. It contributes to the development and growth of our people in Zimbabwe, in the country. You know, no government anywhere in the world has got limitless resources.
“So you’ve got to use your limited budget and allocate those limited resources to those parts of the economy that are very important. And for us, it has been proven over and over again that investing in football amongst our youth, young boys, young girls, the young boys and girls in the competitions like the Caf African Schools Championships, did very, very well. And I want to thank you, the media, for the wonderful work you do, because it’s very important that we get the message across. And thanks to the Caf people, everybody who’s here, and also to all the presidents who are here. Thank you so much,” said Motsepe.
Magwizi, who was elected into the Cosafa Executive Committee, said the moment was significant both personally and nationally.
“I am very happy to see Zimbabwe hosting such a huge event. I can’t describe the excitement. I would like to thank the Government through the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture for giving us an enabling environment to host these events. I would like to salute Caf and Cosafa for recognising this country. Then my election into the Cosafa Executive Committee means a lot not just for me but for everyone in this country.”
