Matabeleland South teams on the blocks for PSL slot

DULIVHADZIMU, Gwanda Pirates, Mainline, Matobo, Super Strikers and Vhembe Stars Academy carry Matabeleland South’s hopes in the Central Region Soccer League this year. They will be part of the 18 teams competing for the single promotion slot into the Premiership.

Dulivhadzimu and Vhembe come from Beitbridge, a town that has previously enjoyed Premiership representation through Underhill, Triple B and Border Strikers. Gwanda Pirates and Super Strikers hail from Gwanda, while Matobo is based in Maphisa and Mainline from Plumtree.

According to minutes of a recent Zifa Central Region meeting, there will be a Top Eight competition determined by log standings at the halfway point of the 2026 season.

This was confirmed by Central Region boss Patrick Hill, who welcomed the US$16 000 sponsorship from GMI Investments and said he hopes the package will increase in 2027.

Hill, who was retained as Zifa Central Region chairman at the end of last year, expressed optimism for the 2026 season.

“We have managed to strike a sponsorship deal for the Super 8, all the teams will participate from the first game of the league. At the end of the first-half matches of the season, we will consider log standings to determine who will play from quarter-finals, semi-finals and then final,” said Hill.

He revealed that the region held its annual general meeting in Zvishavane on 15 February, where the Super 8 sponsorship deal was finalised.

Hill indicated that several training programmes had been lined up for 2026 to improve standards across the region. He said clubs would be trained on online registration of teams and players, in line with Fifa and club licensing requirements.

“A number of courses will be conducted during the course of the year with the Zifa Connect and Safe guarding workshops among the first,” said Hill.

Safeguarding has become an important issue in sport, with emphasis on protecting girls and other vulnerable groups within football structures.

The Central Soccer League chairman, whose division covers Matabeleland South and the Midlands, said ground inspections began on Monday and will continue until 6 March.

Clubs, he said, were instructed to submit two preferred venues — a primary option and an alternative.
He added that, to ensure fairness, commissioners from Matabeleland South and the Midlands, together with the secretariat, would be part of the inspections.

“We do not want get complaints from clubs over the state of fields when the league is under way; that some teams are being favoured because of substandard facilities. We have to make sure we have standard playing fields,” said the veteran administrator.

Hill said club licensing requirements had created challenges after Zifa clarified who is eligible to sit on the technical bench.

Holders of Caf B licences are permitted on the bench, assisted by Caf C licence holders.
“It is a requirement that came when clubs had already signed on their coaches for the year. We urge clubs to have people with Caf C so that when opportunities arise for Caf B, they apply,” said Hill.

The recently elected board members will undergo an induction course, with the main Zifa body set to appoint a facilitator. Team medics and club administrators also have training sessions scheduled.

Hill announced that an awards night will be held at the end of the season, while individual player awards will be introduced from the start of the campaign.

He urged teams to push hard to earn the sole ticket to the Premiership on sporting merit.