Moffat Mungazi
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
AS the Pacific Storm Eastern Region Division One League kicks-off with a sponsorship launch match between last season’s runners-up, Tenax FC and FC Wangu Mazodze, at Mucheke Stadium tomorrow (Saturday), it remains a fact that Masvingo has been without Premiership football for the past 14 years.
The day’s festivities will commence at 10am, with league matches, as per the 2025 fixtures, scheduled to begin the following weekend.
As the 2025 season gets underway, soccer fans from the country’s oldest city will reminisce about the past, particularly the emergence of Masvingo United Football Club in 1997.
The club was formed after purchasing a franchise from Zimex, a Cold Storage Commission (CSC)-sponsored club in Masvingo, and subsequently changed its name to Masvingo United.
The club made history by earning promotion to the Premier Soccer League (PSL) for the first time at the end of the 1999 Eastern Region Division One season.
At its peak, Masvingo United dominated the local Premier Soccer League, dethroning traditional powerhouses and defeating giants on their own turf. However, this success was short-lived, and football fans in Masvingo have been without top-flight league football for over a decade.
As the 2025 Pacific Storm Eastern Region Division One League season gets underway, all eyes are on FC Wangu Mazodze and Masvingo United to see if they can bring Premiership football back to the oldest city.
The Pacific Storm Eastern Region Soccer League has officially released its 2025 fixtures, marking the start of an exciting new season.
The fixtures were unveiled at the league’s Annual General Meeting, held at a hotel in Juliasdale.
The new season kicks off on April 5.
The release of the fixtures follows a recent sponsorship deal with Pacific Cigarette Company, which aims to elevate the league’s standards and provide better resources for players, coaches, and clubs.
Eastern Region Soccer League chairman, Wisdom Simba welcomed the partnership, saying: “We are grateful for the Pacific Cigarette Company’s investment in our league. Their support will help us take local football to new heights.”
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe Football Association has commended the Pacific Storm Eastern Region Soccer League for its excellence in football administration and governance.
Season opening-day matches:
Masvingo United v FC Wangu Mazodze; Tenax CS FC v Deportivo Murambinda FC; Manica Diamonds U19 v Rusitu Tigers FC; FC Hunters v JM Busha FC; Chivhu FC v Buffaloes FC; Renco Mine v Destiny Stars; Tongogara FC v Mutare City Rovers; St Paul’s Musami v GZU FC.
Online Reporter