admin
Zifa president Cuthbert Dube and chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze confirmed the development last week.
Dube said Zifa were eager to have the event in the run-up to the end of the season with the cup final, probably the last game of the year. He said the tournament’s absence over the past five years had left a big void in the soccer landscape that needed immediate filling.
“The Zifa Cup looks certain to return on our calendar this year. As a national association, we would take pride in being involved with one tournament that involves all our clubs from lower division up to the premiership with the winners representing the country in the Confederation Cup.
“Having such a tournament would help us evaluate development of our league football in the country.
With some leagues not sponsored, the Zifa Cup has very big incentives as representing Zimbabwe is always every team’s dream. It is not a preserve of premiership sides, it would be good to see some giant killing acts all the way,” said Dube.
Mashingaidze also confirmed on Monday that they were close to a deal that would see them pen a contract with sponsors. He said for the first year it would be a modest sum but in the following year it would be massive sponsorship.
“We are in negotiations with a prospective sponsor, the negotiations have reached an advanced stage, we are happy that the Zifa Cup will return.
“As Zifa, we do not see anything going wrong in our negotiations as we have covered all the ground to ensure the return of the tournament. It would be an exciting development that we all would love to see becoming a permanent feature in our football,” said Mashingaidze.
He said the prospective sponsor had requested confidentiality until the right time to make the sponsorship public.
The Zifa Cup in the past provided for surprises with some players like Alois Ngwerume rising from a social soccer club Highdon Raylton which reached the quarter-finals of the tournament being given contracts outside the country.
Several other lower division clubs were involved in the slaying of giants with some big names scoring a dozen goals in the opening rounds of the tournament.
When strikers were said to be potent and scoring big figures, matches involving clubs from lower leagues who took part in the FA Cup were considered too.
Online Reporter