Online Reporter
Moffat Mungazi
Sports Reporter
THE appointment of Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) president, Nqobile Magwizi to the influential FIFA Commercial and Marketing Advisory Committee this week, has been described as a major milestone for the game’s administration in the country.
Magwizi will serve on the prestigious committee for four years until 2029.
The FIFA Commercial and Marketing Advisory Committee is responsible for innovations that revolutionise football’s sustainable development through strategic commercial marketing, partnerships and increased global audience engagement.
Seasoned local football administrator, Gift Mapinda described Magwizi’s co-option as an endorsement of Zimbabwe’s growing reputation in international governance of the game.
“This a welcome development. It shows that the world has confidence in our capabilities to administer, market and develop football. Our own local game can develop from having its leader being in the global structures tasked with driving soccer’s growth.
“Whatever Magwizi will learn while exchanging ideas and sharing experiences with his colleagues in the FIFA Commercial and Marketing Advisory Committee can always be tapped into and transferred into Zimbabwean football for positive gains,” he said.
The former Eastern Lions team manager, said Zimbabwe has a lot to offer to the world in terms of raw football talent and expertise in the administrative corridors.
The ZIFA leader said his appointment is a reward for the hard work the association continues putting into global football development initiatives.
“It is an honour to represent Zimbabwe and Africa at this level of world football administration. This appointment is, not only a personal milestone, but a reflection of the strides we are making as a nation to reassert our place within the global football family. I look forward to contributing meaningfully to FIFA’s commercial and marketing vision and ensuring that the interests of developing football nations are well represented,” said Magwizi.
Magwizi’s appointment into the prestigious committee comes hot on the heels of his attendance at the 47th Ordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Presidents of all 54 CAF member associations, representatives from the six zonal unions, and senior football administrators drawn from Africa converged for the Ordinary General Assembly. It is the body’s highest decision-making organ that evaluates key developments in continental football, adopts strategic frameworks for the coming year and deliberates on governance, competitions and development matters impacting the game.
