Online Reporter
Veronica Gwaze
Zimpapers Sports Hub
FOLLOWING the productive stakeholders meeting hosted by ZIFA in Harare on Tuesday, FIFA feel they now have their first major appreciation of the urgency with which domestic women’s football must be improved.
This comes after an array of challenges were identified and cited as impediments during the first of a series of consultative meetings across the country’s four football regions.
The meetings are aimed at developing a comprehensive strategic plan for women’s football locally after the Harare indaba, the consultants moved to Gweru yesterday, will be in Bulawayo today and will wind up their tour of duty with a date with the Eastern Region stakeholders in Masvingo tomorrow.
In Harare, the major issues identified are rooted in foundational weaknesses within the development pathway in the women’s game.
ZIFA technical director Jethro Hunidzarira said the challenges begin at grassroots level, where major aspects require modification.
“The challenges then extend to the crucial links between grassroots, youth and elite levels of the sport . . . there is no harmony across these levels.
“If we fail to speak in one voice and have a unity of purpose, then reviving the women’s game will be difficult,” Hunidzarira said.
The meeting was also informed of the need to see the women’s national teams become more competitive to enhance the visibility and profile of their game.
Hardly a decade ago the Zimbabwe senior and junior women’s football teams were respected powerhouses in and beyond the region.
Apart from winning the COSAFA Cup, the Mighty Warriors’ major highlight was in 2016 when they made a maiden appearance at the Olympics in Río de Janeiro, Brazil.
However, since then, things took a downward spiral and to date, the nation still reels.
Hunidzarira said among the recommendations were that there should be a strong push for greater club sustainability, professionalisation of operations and the incentivisation of individuals working diligently on the ground.
“Additionally, there is a need for improved infrastructure and an increase in the number of competitions that our teams participate in.
“However, positively, there is shared appreciation for the slight growth and clear direction in our game despite little investment being channelled into its growth,” he said.
Outgoing Zimbabwe Women’s Premier Soccer League boss Theresa Maguraushe highlighted the importance of synchronisation within the women’s governance structures.
She said effective management of competitions, robust branding strategies, and the successful sale of merchandise are paramount to the sport’s overall health and financial stability.
“These issues are very key, additionally, we also need well-organised competitions because without that, we will continue to create a cycle of missed opportunities.
“There is an urgent need to implement strong grassroots structures so that we are able to develop our game from the grassroots,” Maguraushe said.
