Siphakeme .Mnindwa
Fungai Muderere, Senior Sports Reporter
FORMER Warriors captain and coach, Norman Mapeza, says adequate preparations will be key to the senior national soccer team doing well in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals in Morocco in December.
This year’s Africa’s football extravaganza will take place from 21 December to 18 January, 2026.
The Warriors, who finished as Group J runners-up behind Cameroon to secure their qualification, will be making their sixth appearance at the continental showpiece.
In the tournament’s group stage draw, held last month, Zimbabwe was placed in Group B, alongside seven-time Afcon champions Egypt, as well as Cosafa rivals Angola and South Africa.
The match against South Africa, a team Zimbabwe has had a longstanding rivalry with, promises to be one of the most anticipated fixtures for fans in the region.
Similarly, the clash with Angola adds another layer of intrigue, as Cosafa rivalries will take centre stage in this competitive group.
“We have a chance, we have about 11 months left before the games. We have to prepare, there is no need to cut corners. It’s a difficult group on paper but we need to adequately prepare. The ball is in our court,” said Mapeza.
The Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) recently announced plans for a training camp in Spain for the senior men’s national team as part of their final preparations for the Afcon tournament.
New Zifa president Nqobile Magwizi said the Warriors are set to embark on a month-long training camp, a strategic move aimed to acclimate the players to conditions similar to Morocco’s, boosting their chances of success in the contest.
Magwizi revealed that the team will engage in high-level friendly matches, organised in collaboration with soccer bodies’ presidents in Europe, Americas and Africa.
Zimbabwe’s last Afcon appearance came in 2021, where the Warriors failed to progress past the group stages.
The team was under the guidance of Mapeza and ex-Highlanders coach Mandla “ Lulu” Mpofu.
Foreign based players that include Teenage Hadabe, captain Marvelous Nakamba, his deputy Marshal Munetsi, Devine Lunga, Washington Arubi, Prince Dube, Daniel Msendami, locals Khama Billiat and Walter Musona will be key to Zimbabwe’s quest to go beyond the group stages.
Meanwhile, the newly-elected Zifa board desires to have a close working relationship with the Government as key stakeholders in the development of football in Zimbabwe.
The football leadership last Thursday engaged the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) board led by Gerald Mlotshwa in an open meeting for the first time since coming into office two weeks ago.
Magwizi said such engagements were critical since the Government, through the SRC was one of the major stakeholders of the game.
“I think this is the first major step on our journey as the new executive committee, where we are meeting our authority, who is SRC,” said Magwizi.
“It’s very important that we establish a strong relationship with the Government because everything we will be doing at Zifa is really propelling Zimbabwe and its brand.
“All the national teams that will play football across the world will be lifting Zimbabwe’s flag high. So, it’s important that there’s a very good alignment of our objectives as an association and those of the Government.
“It’s very, very important. So, we were well received by the chairman and his commissioners. And I must say we have had very good conversations, which will help us as we even put together our strategy. This guidance is very, very important, because in the substance, we can end up doing things that are not aligning to the developing agenda of the nation. It’s very important that we continuously have these engagements. This is the first of many which I believe will happen going into the future.”
Magwizi was flanked by his two vice-presidents Kennedy Ndebele and Loveness Mukura, board members Kudzai Kadzombe, Alice Zeure, Tafadzwa Benza, Thomas Marambanyika and Brighton Ushendibaba. -@FungaiMuderere
Bongani Ndlovu