Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIFA’s new leadership have continued with their bid to turn the corner in the administration of the game and this week dispatched some of their top administrators to the South Africa Football Association for a key benchmarking exercise.
The domestic football mother body is emerging from a very difficult past that eventually resulted in FIFA appointing a Normalisation Committee to run the affairs of the association for one and half years.
Since their election into office on January 25, the ZIFA executive committee led by Nqobile Magwizi have sought to put in structures and policies that enhance a turnaround of the association.
Magwizi is this week leading a four-member delegation who are at the SAFA headquarters in Johannesburg for an exchange and benchmarking programme which the ZIFA boss yesterday described as “amazing and very valuable’’.
The delegation touring SAFA also includes ZIFA board members Alice Zeure and Kudzai Kadzombe and chief executive Yvonne Manwa.
Earlier ZIFA had also issued a statement on the crucial visit from which the association’s leaders are hoping to draw some invaluable experience, especially in view of the fact that SAFA are among Africa’s top football associations and the only one to have staged a FIFA World Cup on the continent.
“The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) is pleased to announce that a high-level delegation led by ZIFA President, Mr Nqobile Magwizi, is currently in South Africa on an official information exchange tour with the South African Football Association (SAFA),’’ read part of the statement.
“The two-day visit will focus on the sharing of best practices and strategic insights across several key areas of the game, including Governance, Human Resources, Information Technology, Competitions, and Commercialisation.
“This engagement forms part of ZIFA’s broader efforts to strengthen institutional capacity and enhance the development of football in Zimbabwe through collaboration with regional and continental peers.
“ZIFA is committed to continuous learning and partnership-building as we work towards a more professional, efficient, and commercially viable football ecosystem,’’ added ZIFA.
The visit by ZIFA to SAFA comes just over a month after Magwizi also toured Morocco.
Magwizi has made no secret of the fact that ZIFA are keen to expedite the growth of the game in the country by creating strong bonds with some of Africa’s top football associations, such as Morocco, Egypt, and South Africa who have also staged a host of continental events.
Apart from hosting the 2025 AFCON in December, and the Women’s AFCON next year, Morocco is the site of the on-going CAF Under-17 AFCON.
And at the end of his bilateral talks Royal Moroccan Football Federation president Fouzi Lekjaa, Magwizi struck some landmark deals which will see the Warriors play some high-profile international friendly matches against 2022 World Cup semi-finalists Morocco, who are currently Africa’s number one ranked team.
Exchange programmes between ZIFA and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), which will create opportunities for local coaches and administrators across the national structure, are also in the pipeline, following the discussions.
Domestic women’s football, for years a marginalised sector, will also have a huge bite of the smart partnership between Zimbabwe and Morocco.
According to a ZIFA communiqué, the historic deal with the Moroccans is expected to strengthen football development in both nations.
This is set to be done through initiatives, which include:
Training programmes for coaches, referees, and administrators.
Youth and women’s football development.
Friendly matches for senior and youth teams.
Exchange programmes and joint events.
Just last week, ZIFA vice-president Kennedy Ndebele was in Brazil for the 5th FIFA Compliance Summit, in Rio de Janeiro.
“The summit brings together global football governance leaders to engage on critical themes that underpin the sustainable growth and integrity of the game.
