Online Reporter
Lovemore Kadzura
Sports Reporter
DYNAMOS FC, the former Zimbabwean football giants, have abandoned title ambitions for the 2026 soccer season, opting instead to aim for a top-six finish.
This comes after the team’s dramatic survival in the top-flight last season, having avoided relegation on the final day of the fixtures last season.
The Harare-based club, known for their historic success, has scaled back their expectations due to ongoing challenges.
In a brief interview after their friendly match against Eastern Region Division One newcomers, African Minerals Ventures (AMV), played at Vengere Stadium last weekend, Dynamos chairman, Vincent Chawonza, revealed that they have given their technical team, headed by Genesis Mangombe, a top six target for the 2026 season.
This is a far cry for a Dynamos team, which was known for being a title and cup contender each season, with their legions of fans thronging their ceremonial home, Rufaro Stadium, and making bee lines following them to away matches.
Chawonza, who was in the company of the team’s controlling shareholder, Bernard Marriot, said they are rebuilding a team mainly made up of youngsters and a couple of veterans.
“We would want to quickly forget the 2025 season as Dynamos because of many things that were not pleasing. Fighting relegation for a club like us is not something that we would want to repeat, and also we are aware that life lessons that are not learnt keep repeating themselves until you learn them. We learnt from our mistakes and we have corrected them.
“We have gone for rare talent and young players in the country, and we are building a project for two to three years. We are very much aware of where we were last season, so we will not miraculously start to fight for the championship in a couple of months. Our target is a top six finish for the coach and players, and we do not want to put much pressure on them. Of course, every team plays to win the championship, and no team in the league is playing to lose. We do not want to put pressure on the guys because we know where that team was last season.
“One thing we have tried to correct is to have young talented players built for the future so that we can have the same group in the next five seasons. We are going to participate in the CAF Confederation Cup competition, and we are preparing for that. In our squad we have mixed youth and experience with players like Collins Mujuru, Trevor Mavhunga, and Moses Demera, who are all seasoned players. We have young players such as Mandlenkosi Mlilo, Witness Shave and Stanley Billiat and we are definitely preparing to fight for honours at home and also in the CAF Confederation Cup,” said Chawonza.
Competition in the Castle Premier Soccer League is likely to be a tight race between defending champions, Scottland FC, MWOS, Chicken Inn and new boys, Hadrock FC which have been busy on the transfer market.
