To catch up with regional and continental peers, local clubs must stop treating preseason as a ritual and start treating it as an investment — preferably one that begins beyond our borders.
Preseason is more than a period to shake off rust; it is the foundation on which a club’s season is built.
In Zimbabwe, many teams still retreat to Kariba, Hwange, Beitbridge, and Mutare to escape daily distractions and foster cohesion. Those local camps have value, but they rarely deliver the advanced facilities, higher level opposition, or international exposure that modern football now requires.
Preseason camps abroad can be transformative. Zambia and South Africa offer superior training facilities, recovery centres, and stronger opposition, giving players better conditioning and a clearer benchmark of where they stand.
For clubs, foreign camps create opportunities to build diaspora followings, establish international partnerships, and open scouting and transfer channels.
Friendly matches against foreign teams are not mere warm ups; they are auditions where young talent can be spotted and where coaches can measure their squads against continental standards.
Cost is a real constraint, and no club should be shamed for staying local.
Local camps still serve important purposes — team bonding, tactical work, and focused fitness. But clubs with limited budgets can still pursue creative solutions: partner with foreign clubs to share facilities, arrange joint travel, or negotiate reduced rates at football association training centres.
Such collaborations can unlock transfer value for young players while exposing them to environments that accelerate development.
Concrete examples underline the point. Scotland partnered with South Africa’s Durban City on a talent exchange during their tour, and they played against Eswatini’s Nsingizini Hotspurs, from whom they signed international defender Kwakhe Twala.
Simba Bhora and Hardrock used Botswana as a preseason base, FC Platinum trained in Zambia, CAPS United in Malawi, and MWOS FC sent coaches to the Etihad Academy in Manchester to upgrade technical capacity.
The number of clubs conducting foreign preseason tours rose from two in 2025 to five in 2026, a clear sign the approach is gaining traction.
Clubs that regularly tour abroad tend to grow their brands financially and reputationally. Coaches sharpen their preparation against stronger opposition, which is vital for continental competitions.
Players gain confidence and exposure, while administrators learn new standards that raise expectations across the club. At a time when Zimbabwean teams increasingly import talent, preseason tours abroad also give local clubs a chance to scout and recruit directly rather than rely solely on player agents.
Not every club must go overseas, but those that can should view foreign preseason camps as strategic investments rather than luxuries.
By raising the bar in training, competition, and professional standards, these tours can unlock hidden value in players, strengthen clubs’ international networks, and help Zimbabwean football close the gap with its continental peers.
