The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has approached Ngezi Platinum Stars and Manica Diamonds for either of them to participate in the 2025-26 CAF Confederation Cup, following Dynamos’ withdrawal.
Dynamos, who won last season’s Chibuku Super Cup and earned the ticket to participate in the Confederation Cup, pulled out of the continental tournament citing financial incapacitation.
The cash-strapped Harare giants have been struggling on that front, as they owe players signing-on fees and winning bonuses.
They (Dynamos) were even taken to FIFA by two of their former players – Fredrick Ansa-Botchway and Emmanuel Paga – due to outstanding signing-on fees to the Ghanaian duo.
With the dilemma of having to provide a participant in the Confederation Cup, ZIFA have approached last season’s Chibuku Super Cup runners-up, Ngezi, as well as Manica Diamonds, to take part in Africa’s second-tier club competition.
The competition is composed of domestic cup winners of all of CAF’s 54 member associations and the third-placed club in the domestic leagues of the top twelve-ranked associations.
A source privy to ongoings at ZIFA revealed to Fanzone that Ngezi were approached to take part in the competition first as runners-up of the Chibuku Super Cup but were reluctant to do so, resulting in Manica being approached as well.
“After Dynamos confirmed that they will not take part in the Confederation Cup, the association approached Ngezi Platinum Stars to do so, but they were reluctant. Manica Diamonds were also approached, and ZIFA await their position,” the source said.
“The rules of the competition demand that only teams which participated in last season’s Chibuku Super Cup can take part in the Confederation Cup.
“The desire to have a team with financial muscle in the competition resulted in Manica being approached, as new boys Scottland and MWOS cannot take part because they were not in the Chibuku Super Cup last year,” added the source.
