Women’s Soccer League to kick off next month

Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent

THE 2018 season of the Women’s Super League is set to explode on 24 March after registration of teams.

In a statement released by Zimbabwe Women Soccer League chairperson, Rosemary Kanonge, the number of teams gracing the league will this season be reduced to 16 from last year’s 22.

The league executive had a torrid time managing a bloated league with some teams struggling to play away games.

Only financially able teams are going to be accepted by the league as a 10 March deadline has been given to teams to pay up and club will be accepted on a “first-pay first-included” basis as ZWSL seeks to ensure only teams with adequate funding take part in the league.

“The ZWSL board has decided that the first 14 teams, of those that were in the league last year, to pay their affiliation fees, arrears, players and technical officials registration fees by 10 March shall be considered for the 2018 season.

“The other teams two teams to complete the league will be the Northern Region and Southern Region Leagues,” read the statement.

The affiliation fees for the coming season has been set at $500 with players licenses costing $10 each and registration of technical officials will cost $50 per official.

Women football has been dogged by squabbles and disagreements over the number of teams promoted to the league, format and funding.

Some administrators felt the best way to run women football would be through regional leagues to reduce costs as women football is not funded and there is no prize money.