Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo-Zimpapers Sports Hub
AFTER dicing with relegation from the Premier Soccer League, CAPS United seem to have learnt the hard way and are not taking chances ahead of the 2026 season.
The Premiership giants have shown signs that they mean business this time around, if the manner in which they have gone about their pre-season so far is anything to go by.
CAPS United revealed that they are set to play a four-team pre-season tournament in Lilongwe, Malawi, next month.
Makepekepe endured a rocky season, which saw them fighting to save their Premiership status for the better part of the tail end of the championship marathon last year.
That struggle seems to have awakened them with the club almost done with their signings for the 2026 season, swooping onto most of their targets late in 2025.
CAPS United have also undergone a major make-over with both on the technical bench and playing staff witnessing new arrivals.
Former Ngezi Platinum Stars coach Takesure Chiragwi headlines the new arrivals that has also seen over 10 fresh faces among the players, at least, for now.
Chiragwi tagged along with him, over six players he was with at Ngezi and some of who were part of his 2023 championship winning side. The ex-Warriors assistant also brought with him almost the entire backroom staff he had at the Mhondoro miners including performance analyst Tonderai Vera, goalkeepers Coach Cloudious Gunduza and team manager Tinashe Nengomasha.
That should ensure continuity on the part of the gaffer’s philosophy and the perfect pre-season preparations could also add to the conviction.
CAPS United have almost always been a strong proponent on paper over the past few years but a lack of proper pre-season investment contributed to their average, if not below-average showing during the period. But club president Farai Jere has decided to tick the requisite boxes including enabling his side to partake in a pre-season tour of Malawi.
Club chief executive officer Morton Dodzo confirmed the pre-season arrangement.
“I’m happy to say this trip (to Malawi) was prepared long before even the festive season. We had representatives who flew to Malawi and of course we have some of our staff members who are very familiar with the terrain and the environment there,’’ Dodzo said.
“We also have guys from Malawi who assisted us. So that trip is on. We are actually finishing the preparations in terms of the necessary logistics, of course minus the budgets which have since been availed by the presidium.
“Where we are now working on clearances and in terms of the tournament, the teams that we are going to play with, they have to be cleared also.”
