malvernmugadzikwa
Petros Kausiyo
Sports Editor
The Warriors will be part of the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign following strong indications that FIFA could lift Zimbabwe’s suspension within the next three weeks.
The draw for the World Cup qualifiers, which will precede the 45th Confederation of African Football (CAF) Ordinary General Assembly, will be conducted in Cotonou, Benin, on July 12.
Nine teams from the continent will qualify for the expanded World Cup, an increase of four from the slots that have been traditionally reserved for Africa.
After a hugely successful World Cup in Qatar, FIFA will stage the 2026 edition in three North American countries — Mexico, the United States and Canada.
The Sunday Mail Sport has established that the Warriors, who have slid into 128th position on the FIFA rankings due to their inactivity, could bounce back just in time for the 2026 qualifiers.
This world body and the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) seem to have found common ground, which will pave the way for the setting up of the widely expected Normalisation Committee to oversee the administration of troubled ZIFA.
Sources said there has been several behind-the-scenes meetings as FIFA seek to find a solution to the challenges in Zimbabwe football.
FIFA would have to first lift Zimbabwe’s suspension before constituting a Normalisation Committee. And for many in the domestic football family, it is going be a nervy three-week period between today and the CAF World Cup draw.
Both FIFA and the SRC have kept a tight lid on developments since FIFA dispatched a delegation to Zimbabwe on a fact-finding mission in April.
SRC chairperson Gerald Mlotshwa refused to discuss issues pertaining to Zimbabwe’s suspension.
He, however, indicated that he continues to apprise Government, through Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister Kirsty Coventry, “on where we are”.
“The minister is satisfied and she has provided her guidance and it is expected that the Zimbabwe issue will be resolved quite quickly going forward,’’ Mlotshwa said.
There had been earlier hopes that the suspension could be lifted in time for the Warriors to bounce back for the 2023 COSAFA Cup in Durban, South Africa, between July 5 and 16.
But sources insist that the long wait for local football could soon be over.
“After visiting Zimbabwe for their fact-finding mission, during which they came face-to-face with the problems at ZIFA and in local football, the FIFA representatives have continued to engage with the key stakeholders on the matter, especially the SRC,’’ the sources said.
“Of course, FIFA had set their conditions for the lifting of Zimbabwe’s suspension and, in one way or the other, the SRC met those conditions, including the main one on lifting the suspension of the ZIFA board.
“When the ZIFA Congress met in terms of their constitution and acted, they advised the SRC of the resolutions they had made and pleaded for the lifting of the suspension, which was then done . . .
“So, when the SRC lifted the suspension on the ZIFA board, it meant that the board that was constituted in terms of the ZIFA EGM of April 23, 2022, led by Gift Banda, was the one in charge of the association.’’
Banda, who had been sidelined by his colleagues, was thrust at the helm following a revolution fronted by Martin Kweza and a congress steering committee that included Harare City chairperson Alois Masepe and CAPS United vice president Nhamo Tutisani.
ZIFA were, however, later left in a quandary after Banda’s term of office came to an end following the expiry of the Congress’ tenure on December 18, 2022.
It is against this background that FIFA appear to have been convinced that the “win-win” situation in Zimbabwe’s case was the appointment of the Normalisation Committee.
ZIFA legal adviser Chenaimoyo Gumiro indicated that, while FIFA were acting within their rights to consider the appointment of a Normalisation Committee, the Congress’ 2022 resolution, which revoked Felton Kamambo’s mandate and was also central to the bid to restore order in local football, was never invalidated.
“That EGM was properly convened in terms of the ZIFA constitution and resolutions thereof are binding and have the full force and support of the constitution and will remain so,’’ Gumiro said.
“A Normalisation Committee, if it is to be constituted by FIFA, will have to be done in a manner that is constitutional.
“By setting up a Normalisation Committee, FIFA will be within their rights, just like they take cognisance of the existence of the ZIFA constitution, under which the April 23 resolutions were made.
“In any case, FIFA do not write constitutions for member associations, and if ever the resolutions made at the EGM were to be nullified, it would need Congress to do that.’’
■ @petrospablo1
Online Reporter