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Sikhumbuzo Moyo
FOR the umpteenth time, Zifa will not stage the FA Cup after failing to secure sponsorship for an event which would have seen lower division clubs fight with Premiership teams for glory. The national association had indicated last year that they were working on the return of the premier cup competition that was going to involve more than 60 teams from different local leagues.
“I can confirm that we will not have the Zifa Cup again this year. It is too late to organise the Zifa Cup tournament as it might disturb our season with only a few months left before the 2013 season winds up,” said Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela.
Football stakeholders are very keen to have the Zfa Cup but lack of sponsorship remains the major stumbling block.
“We are still consulting with potential sponsors so that we have the cup next year. We will definitely have the knockout tournament next year,” said Gwesela.
In June this year, Zifa chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze told our sister paper, the Sunday News that the association was in advanced talks with an unnamed international company that had expressed interest in funding the cup competition.
“We have been in talks with an international company that I cannot name at the moment and we forwarded our proposal to them. They are going over the proposal and should get back to us before the end of the month,” said the Zifa head of secretariat then.
The last FA Cup was played in 2007 and was known as the CBZ FA Cup and saw Mwana Africa, under the legendary Willard Khumalo lifting it after beating Chapungu 1-0 through a Benjamin Marere strike.
Previously, the Cup was funded by then National Breweries, now Delta Beverages but they withdrew their package in 1997.
At one stage it was played as the Zifa Unity Cup in 2001 with Highlanders winning it.
In one season it was also played as an inter-provincial tournament.
Many fans will remember the exploits of Highdon Raylton, a Harare social soccer club that reached the quarter-finals of the tournament and in the process provided Alois Ngwerume a platform to shine. Ngwerume later moved to South Africa’s Moroka Swallows.
Online Reporter