Online Reporter
Veronica Gwaze
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWEAN football is gaining regional respect, with Eswatini now looking to the country as a model for development.
Eswatini’s Parliamentary Portfolio Committee for Sport paid a courtesy call on their Zimbabwean counterparts in Harare yesterday for a symposium at the new parliament building, aimed at benchmarking standards.
Farai Jere, chair of the local parliamentary portfolio committee on Sport, Recreation Arts, said the visit shows Zimbabwe’s football is on the rise.
“They came here for football, they wanted to see how we are doing our business; they have observed that our football is on the rise so there are lots of indicators which they are looking at,” Jere said.
“We have a lot of players who are now coming into Zimbabwe in our top-flight, the way we are running our football is what attracted them to say, no, let’s go to Zimbabwe and see how they are doing it, what exactly are they doing with their league.”
While in the past it was Zimbabwean players who included Stanford Ncube, the late Ricky Sibiya, Jacob Muzokomba who moved to Eswatini, it is the Mountain Kingdom’s players who are now trekking to the domestic Premiership.
In the Eswatini 2025 Ingwenyama Cup, Zimbabwe Women Premier Soccer League’s Kudakwashe Basopo emerged the Top Goal Scorer of the Tournament.
Coaches Rodwell Dhlakama, Takesure Chiragwi, Philip Mbofana, the late duo of Aramando Ferreira and Stanley Ndunduma and Alexio Sigion have coached in the Eswatini top-flight.
The local Premiership has this year attracted Kwakhe Thwala who is with champions Scottland.
After PSL relaxed the foreign quota for each team from five to eight, league debutants Hardrock brought also in Neliswa Dlamini, Sambulo Simelani , Thubelihle Mavuso and Yekusizwe Khumalo from Eswatini.
“What we have done as Parliament, when they put their request was to mobilise the relevant stakeholders who would then take them through what they really wanted which is why Ministry of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture, the Sports Commission, ZIFA and PSL are here,” said Jere.
“The Ministry is here represented by the chief director of Sport Dr Eugenia Chidakwa, where they gave the insight of how our football is being run from the ministry side of things.
“We have got our Zimbabwe Football Association, which is represented by their vice-president, the president (Nqobile Magwizi) is away on business, he is in the United States of America and we know that business is doing there, the World Cup.”
“However, it is not one way flow, we are also learning a lot of things from them and we want to reciprocate by also paying them a visit largely to go and learn their culture and see how they have managed to maintain it in sport, football.”
Eswatini Parliamentary Portfolio Committee chairman Nathi Mdockies Hlophe acknowledged that the Zimbabwean top-flight has transformed into an attractive league for internationals.
With PSL’ Delta Beverages kitty dedicating US$700 000 towards prize money for the 18 league teams at season end, Hlophe said this is a hefty figure compared to what Eswatini pay.
He revealed that Eswatini do not provide live television coverage to their league games while in Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation and Zimpapers Television Network hold the broadcasting rights.
“Those are some of the things which are attracting players from around the region and of course, the entire Africa to come and play in your league because it is now well-funded,” said Hlophe.
“We have invested in coaches in the Kingdom of Eswatini, Zimbabwe have helped us with that and now we want team owners to come and own teams in our land as well.
“The talent is massive, leadership wonderful and we are happy to hear that even the Head of State has been so supportive when it comes to football.”
Hlophe hailed the ZIFA Munhumutapa Challenge Cup, which he believes will go a long way in unearthing talent in rural areas and marginalised communities.
“The initiative of this tournament which involves the whole nation is massive, we have our own but the levels are not the same so we are taking notes.
“Zimbabwe have qualified for AFCON six times and we are still trying to find our way there, yet with this meeting we have decided to think bigger and look at the World Cup instead,” he said.
Chidhakwa hailed the engagement.
“This has been a mutually beneficial engagement where we have also learned a lot from Eswatini, and what we appreciate more is that the exposure and support from the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee in charge of Sport and us as Ministry implementing the guiding ideas they give us will help our sport develop,” she said.
“Receiving such a delegation charms us as a ministry and we pledge our support to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee to ensure that football and the other sport codes can go far.”
