ZIFA order Chingwere’s NRSL re-admission

Zimpapers Sports Hub

ZIFA’s Appeals Committee have ended the dispute between Mashonaland West Division 2B side Chingwere and the Northern Region Soccer League by upholding the club’s plea against the regional body’s decision to decline them membership for the 2026 season.

In a comprehensive 11-page judgment issued yesterday, the Appeals Committee chaired by prominent Harare lawyer Ralph Tsvivama unanimously agreed to direct NRSL to re-admit Chingwere putting a lid on saga that was threatening to wreck a smooth start of the country’s best Division One League.

The NRSL had made a U-Turn and declined to register Chingwere on their 2026 line-up, arguing that the club had failed to pay US$6 000 affiliation fees “on time’’.

They replaced them with another Mashonaland West Division 2B side Marere, who had finished 11th on the 2025 log standings.

Tsvivama’s committee took note of submissions by both Chingwere and NRSL after which they determined that the club had not erred in their bid to affiliate in the region.

“This is an appeal against a decision of the Northern Region Soccer League (herein referred to as “NRSL” or “The Respondent”) on 3rd February 2026 declining membership of Chingwere FC (hereinafter “the Appellant” or “the Appellant Club”) to the Northern Region Soccer League.

“The Appellant effectively seeks the following relief: 1. The appeal be and is hereby sustained; and 2. The decision of the Northern Region Soccer League handed on the 3rd February 2026 be and is hereby vacated and substituted with the following; — The Appellant be and is hereby declared a member of the Northern Region Soccer League and shall compete in all matches,” read part of the judgment.

The Appeals Committee also outlined the circumstances that led to the dispute between the NRSL and Chingwere.

“Following Chingwere FC’s triumph in the Mashonaland West Division 2B League on 18th December 2025 and their subsequent promotion to the Division 1 (Northern Region), the NRSL issued an invoice dated 30th December 2025 requiring payment of affiliation fees in the sum of USD6 000.

“The invoice stipulated that payment was due on December 31, 2025. Pursuant thereto, NRSL formally welcomed Chingwere FC into the League and published the official list of participating clubs for the 2026 season.

“That list comprised of 16 confirmed teams — including the Respondent — Chingwere FC, with two additional clubs to be announced. The club was also reflected in the official fixtures, with matches scheduled to commence in February 2026.

“On 16th January 2026, Chingwere FC effected part payment of USD3 000, which was duly accepted by NRSL, leaving a balance of USD3 000 outstanding. On the same day, the Appellant communicated its temporary financial constraints and requested an extension of time within which to settle the balance.

“Subsequently, on January 23, 2026, a preliminary stadium inspection was conducted upon payment of USD250 by the club. Despite these administrative steps, and notwithstanding the outstanding balance, NRSL issued correspondence dated February 3, 2026, declining Chingwere FC’s membership on the basis of alleged financial distress.

“This communication was, according to Respondent, availed to the Appellant on 4th February 2026, on which date the NRSL also reimbursed the USD3 000 previously paid to Appellant.

“Thereafter, on February 6, 2026, Chingwere FC deposited the full sum of USD6 000 into NRSL’s account. However, by communication dated February 9, 2026, NRSL advised that such payment had not been accepted.

“In effect, NRSL excluded the Appellant from membership and seemingly replaced it with Marere FC, a club that had finished 11th in the same lower division. This replacement is evident from the NRSL 2026 fixtures, which are scheduled to commence on Saturday February 28, 2026.’’

The NRSL, however did not kick-start on February 28 as the match officials, who had been expected to take charge of the opening weekend, were reportedly also attending a ZIFA Elite Referees course in Bulawayo.

The Appeals Committee also noted that the NRSL could not have presided over the Chingwere appeal when they had already taken a stance by rejecting the club’s membership.

“It is this decision to decline Applicant’s membership application which prompted the present appeal.

“It is pertinent to note that ZIFA (secretariat) requested NRSL to provide documentation substantiating the basis upon which membership was declined, including the statutory or constitutional authority relied upon, any congress or executive resolutions, and responses to the grounds of appeal.

“NRSL furnished a response dated February 16, 2026, and a substantive reply dated February 20, 2026, which are incorporated herein. In its submissions, the Respondent raised two principal issues, which this Appeals Committee addresses seriatim below.

“Preliminary issues alleged non-exhaustion of Domestic Remedies the Respondent — the (NRSL), raises a preliminary objection to the admissibility of this appeal and its propriety to be dealt with by this Appeals Committee.

“The Respondent (NRSL) contends that the appeal is not properly before the Appeals Committee since the Appellant has not exhausted the domestic remedies. Instead, the Appellant ought to have approached the judicial bodies of the Respondent for a resolution of the matter.

“Essentially, it is effectively contended that the Appeals Committee has no jurisdiction and that it can only hear appeals as against the decisions made by ‘bodies of ZIFA’ and/or its members.

“It is this Appeals Committee’s joint view that this objection cannot be sustained. The Statutes of the NRSL (hereinafter “the Statutes”), which guide the Respondent, fully address the objection raised by the Respondent. Other than these statutes, the alleged domestic remedies that ought to have been exhausted or their source are not related to by the Respondent.

“Article 50 of the Statutes provides the following: “The Appeals Committee is a preserve of ZIFA and any aggrieved party shall appeal to ZIFA Appeals Committee. Appeals fees shall be prescribed by ZIFA.”

“The above provision is unambiguous. Any aggrieved party ought to appeal to the ZIFA Appeals Committee. In case, the Appellant is aggrieved by the decision of the Respondent dated February 3, 2026, declining its membership.’’

The Committed highlighted provisions of the statutes which allow Chingwere to seek recourse beyond the NRSL board as they did.

“Article 50 allows it to approach this Committee to seek relief if there is any merit to the challenge. There is no question that a decision was reached by the Respondent not to admit the Appellant as a member of its League because it declined payment of the outstanding fee of US$3 000 and returned the US$3 000 that it had initially accepted as a deposit. It even went further to admit another team in place of the Appellant.

“In those circumstances, the Appellant, which is clearly aggrieved by that decision, was entitled to appeal against that decision to ZIFA. It had nowhere else to go if aggrieved. The domestic remedies not exhausted remain unclear to the Committee.

“This Committee finds this to be a classic example of the issues that Respondent’s Article 54 seeks to address, as the Appellant cannot reasonably be expected to approach the same Respondent, whose decision it is aggrieved by, for redress.

“Accordingly, the Committee finds no merit in the objection and dismisses the same’’.