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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
A DISCORD is brewing between the Premier Soccer League and ZIFA over the FIFA international break.
The FIFA window for international games opened yesterday and will run until next Wednesday. ZIFA are planning to use the opportunity to fly back home foreign-based players to kick-start preparations for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers due to begin next month.
The diaspora players are scheduled to feature in regional games against their local based counterparts, according to the ZIFA Normalisation Committee chairman, Lincoln Mutasa.
“This weekend we are trying to have a game scheduled to enable the coach to have a closer look at the Diaspora players. We feel it’s important that the coach sees these players before the World Cup qualifiers which begin next month. “So we are trying to bring them home and we haven’t put any restrictions on the coaches. They will call whoever they feel they need to see because they have the leeway to select the team they want.
“The Normalisation Committee will only facilitate and provide the necessary support,” said Mutasa.
Zimbabwe are yet to confirm international friendly match during this window, which is the last before the opening 2026 World Cup qualifier against Rwanda in Kigali on November 13. They will also host Nigeria next month, in a neighbouring country since all the local stadiums have been condemned by CAF and FIFA.
Zimbabwe are in Group C which also has Benin, Lesotho and neighbours South Africa.
The ZIFA Normalisation Committee wants the new coach Baltemar Brito, who has so far worked with local players in invitational matches against Namibia and Botswana, to have a glimpse of Zimbabwe’s foreign talent before the global qualifiers.
The local football authorities are looking to have four-team event comprising the Northern Region led by Warriors assistant coach Genesis Mangombe, who is also the Dynamos coach, the Southern Region led by former Hwange Coach Bongani Mafu, the Diaspora team made up of foreign-based players and the People’s Choice team that will be voted by football fans. ZIFA have also been in negotiations with Botswana for a possible friendly game. However, the PSL have also released a full programme for the weekend with six games on Saturday and three on Sunday.
Online Reporter