Online Reporter
Moffat Mungazi
Sports Reporter
JUNIOR football development in the country is set for a transformational shift, with Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) formalising the regulation of all junior football leagues and academies to improve standards at grassroots level.
In a statement, ZIFA said the process is aimed at aligning the local game to international standards.
“ZIFA hereby announces that, with immediate effect, all junior football structures and academies operating in Zimbabwe fall under our jurisdiction. This directive applies to all junior leagues at Under-13, 15 and 17 levels and forms part of the association’s ongoing efforts to standardise, regulate and strengthen grassroots and youth football development countrywide. Player registration and competition guidelines will be releases in due course,” reads the statement.
The development requires junior football entities to be properly registered, added ZIFA.
“All junior leagues and academies will be required to register their teams through the relevant ZIFA provincial leagues and ensure that all players and officials are duly registered on the FIFA/ZIFA Connect system. This process is designed to safeguard young players, improve data integrity, align Zimbabwean youth football with international best practice and create clear, credible development pathways,” said ZIFA.
