Online Reporter
Eddie Chikamhi
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWE will have no team in the 2025-26 CAF Confederation Cup after Ngezi Platinum Stars, the country’s only remaining eligible side, declined the opportunity, citing logistical, financial and time constraints.
The Mhondoro-based club was approached by ZIFA following Dynamos’ recent withdrawal, with the Harare giants citing financial constraints. Ngezi were next in line by virtue of finishing runners-up in last year’s Chibuku Super Cup.
While the club is no stranger to continental football, having featured in the previous edition of the CAF Champions League, this time they opted out.
Club president Wadzanayi Mutsakanyi said the decision wasn’t taken lightly.
“The decision around participation in the CAF Confederation Cup is a big decision that comes with a lot of consideration and had to be approached with due diligence.
The club, after having engaged all relevant stakeholders to assess logistical, financial and sporting implications and taking into account the rather short notice we received the offer, has had to unfortunately decide against competing in the CAF Confederation Cup.
While this decision was not an easy one for us to make, we had to consider the implications of competing in this prestigious tournament without ticking all the relevant boxes.
We remain committed to taking part in future regional and international competitions in line with our long-term developmental goals,” said Mutsakanyi.
Ngezi communicated their decision in time to meet CAF’s submission deadlines. While the original cut-off date was June 30, it has since been extended to July 31 to accommodate clubs affected by the upcoming CHAN tournament in August.
Simba Bhora, winners of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League last season, will now be Zimbabwe’s sole representatives in CAF inter-club competitions.
They’ll make their debut in the prestigious CAF Champions League.
Dynamos, who won the Chibuku Super Cup last December, were initially set to feature in the Confederation Cup. However, the club only notified ZIFA of its withdrawal two weeks ago, seven months after lifting the trophy.
Their last stint in the CAF Confederation Cup ended in disappointment, and insiders say the experience played a role in their decision to pull out.
ZIFA acknowledged Dynamos’ late communication and noted the tight time-lines left Ngezi with little room to prepare for a campaign of that magnitude.
According to CAF’s rules, Ngezi were the only eligible replacement.
“If a federation is entitled to one club, the National Cup winner will be engaged in the CAF Confederation Cup. If this National Cup winner of a federation cannot be engaged to the CAF Confederation Cup for various reasons, the Inter-clubs 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 the clause.
CAF announced that preparations for the 2025-26 inter-club competitions are underway. Registration officially opens on August 1 and closes on August 31.
Each participating club will be allowed to register a maximum of 40 players. Matchday squads will consist of 11 starters, with nine substitutes and nine officials permitted on the bench. Under current regulations, teams can make up to five substitutions during a match.
This year’s competitions will begin later than usual due to the CHAN tournament, scheduled for August. The first preliminary matches of the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup will take place over two weekends, September 19-21 and September 26-28.
The second registration window runs from September 1 to 30. Clubs that advance to the group stage will have another opportunity to update their squads between October 1 and 31.
The finals of both CAF inter-club competitions, the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup, are scheduled to take place between May 8 and May 24, 2026.
For now, Simba Bhora will carry the country’s hopes on the continental stage. With Dynamos and Ngezi out of the Confederation Cup, Zimbabwean football fans will have to wait another season to see a second team join the action in Africa.
A runner up by definition is anyone who participated in the tournament. ‘Reserves the right’ means a positive decision is possible. The question is who is next in line to Ngezi. I guess the semi finalists. ZIFA should take the message to CAF that there is a club which participated in the country’s main knockout competition that is interested in taking part in the CAF tourney, and that if no other club from Zimbabwe is allowed, that would in some way disadvantage Zimbabwean clubs and Zimbabwean football. Seeing that some countries are even allowed two or three participants in the same competition. But I guess there is no one man enough to push that through at ZIFA. Or anyone who can argue the case for Zimbabwean football. Unobva washaya kuti vakapindireyi. By now ZIFA should have received ‘offers’ from the rest of the clubs and only waiting to select the one to represent Zimbabwe.