Online Reporter
Eddie Chikamhi
Zimpapers Sports Hub
NGEZI Platinum Stars are today set to convene a board meeting to discuss a possible return to continental inter-club football this year as Zimbabwe’s representatives in the 2025-26 CAF Confederation Cup.
The Mhondoro miners were sounded out by ZIFA yesterday to take up the slot left vacant following the withdrawal by troubled Dynamos from the competition.
ZIFA are looking to make an application for replacement representatives for the country at CAF before the June 30 deadline, by which associations should have confirmed the documentation about the participating teams in preparation for the Club Licencing and ensuing competition draws.
As a result, the football mother body have extended the invitation to Ngezi, who by virtue of being runners-up in last year’s Chibuku Super Cup, naturally stand in line to replace fading giants Dynamos.
Ngezi president Wadzanayi Mutsakanyi yesterday confirmed to Zimpapers Sports Hub that they have scheduled a meeting to assess the request from ZIFA.
“We have received the letter from ZIFA today (yesterday). As of now we don’t have a position yet since we have just received the communication.
“So, we are going to have a board meeting to discuss that issue most probably tomorrow. I am sure we might have a binding decision afterwards,” said Mutsakanyi.
The platinum miners are not new to the CAF inter-club competitions, having represented Zimbabwe for the first time in the Confederation Cup in 2017, a year after they had won the Chibuku Super Cup.
They bounced back to continental football last year following their 2023 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League success.
Ngezi, however, did not go further on their maiden dance with the Champions League, falling at the first hurdle when losing to AC Maniema of the Democratic Republic of Congo following a penalty shoot-out.
The platinum miners could still be interested to compete again in Africa.
But before the decision is made, the club’s leadership will likely want to scrutinise the budgets, the pulse of the current squad, and the logistical challenges that come with having to play their home games in neighbouring countries since Zimbabwe currently does not have a CAF-certified stadium for international matches.
Last year, Ngezi hosted AC Maniema in Zambia for their preliminary round of the 2024-25 Champions League assignment.
Reigning domestic kings, Simba Bhora are set to represent the country in the top-tier CAF Champions League but just like Ngezi and Dynamos before them, they will have to make do with playing their home games in neighbouring countries.
Dynamos had secured the CAF ticket by retaining the Chibuku Super Cup following their victory over Ngezi at Rufaro last November.
But their withdrawal opened the doors for Ngezi in accordance with the CAF Confederation Cup engagement regulations.
The rules state in part that “If a federation is entitled to one club, the National Cup Winner will be engaged in CAF Confederation Cup.” If this National Cup winner of a federation cannot be engaged in CAF Confederation Cup for various reasons, the Inter-club’s Committee reserves the right to accept the runner-up of the cup by virtue of an application to be submitted in accordance with the regulations of the federation and/or the present regulations,” reads part of the regulations.
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