Online Reporter
THE 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco will get underway on Sunday, 21 December with the final set for Sunday, 18 January 2026 and our Warriors will be among the teams seeking to progress beyond the opening round.
Zimbabwe face Egypt in their opening Group B match on December 22, the Unity Day back home, while other members of Group B are Angola and South Africa.
The tournament has come with huge financial windfall for participants following a review of the packages.
Our Warriors have been at the AFCON finals on five occasions but have failed to progress beyond the opening round on all finals.
The hopes of making it on the sixth attempt have been getting slimmer with each passing day under coach, Michael Nees.
As the 2025 looms, ZIFA face a critical decision that could define the future and that is whether to retain or release national team coach Nees.
With just two wins in 15 matches under his leadership, the evidence is overwhelming—Nees has failed to inspire confidence, deliver results, or build a cohesive team capable of competing on the continental stage and the time to act is now.
It has reached a point where ZIFA must part ways with Nees before the Warriors board the plane to Morocco.
The numbers speak volumes.
Nees’ tenure has been marked by tactical confusion, uninspired team selections, and a glaring lack of progress.
To a majority of football fans, Zimbabwe’s recent 1-0 defeat to Lesotho in a final 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier was not just a loss—it was a symbol of regression.
As a result, fans have flooded social media with calls for his dismissal, questioning the rationale behind hiring a coach with a history of underachievement.
We have reached a stage where players, too, appear disillusioned with unconfirmed reports suggesting a lack of morale and unity in the camp, with Nees’ training methods described as outdated and ineffective.
In elite sport, belief is half the battle. When both fans and players lose confidence in a coach, the damage is often irreversible. ZIFA must recognize that clinging to a failing regime risk not only another embarrassing AFCON exit but long-term erosion of Zimbabwe’s footballing credibility.
Some argue that firing Nees now would be financially reckless. Yes, terminating his contract will come at a cost. But let’s be clear: the financial benefits of sacking him far outweigh the short-term expense. Unconfirmed reports say Zifa will have to fork out US$80 000 if they are to terminate his contract before the start of the AFCON finals.
However, a look at the financial rewards at the 2025 AFCON suggest that just doing better than the current record under Nees will earn Zifa more than the US$80 000 that will be incurred for firing the foreign coach.
For instance, if we finish bottom of our group (which is most likely under Nees), the earnings for Zifa will be US$500 000 while finishing a place higher (something possible under someone new) is US$700 000 and that is a difference of US$200 000, which is much higher than the US$80 000 that is believed to be the cost of firing Nees now.
It gets even better if we reach the Round of 16, which has US$800 000.
ZIFA must act swiftly and decisively. Fire Michael Nees. Invest in a coach who can lead with vision, passion, and competence. The cost of inaction is far greater than the price of change. It is everyone’s view that Zimbabwean football deserves better—and the time for better is now.
