Opinion
OPINION: Zimbabwe should be learning from Eswatini, not the other way round
There is something flattering about Zimbabwean football, even flattering in a bittersweet way, that a parliamentary delegation from Eswatini came to Harare to benchmark our football model on 17 July 2026. It signals that Zimbabwe still matters in the regional imagination: our pitches attract talent, our clubs attract money, and our league has become a…
Read MoreOPINION: CAPS United is his project, but Jere is offside on Magalane shaming
Farai Jere may own CAPS United, but ownership does not entitle him to humiliate players in public. His reckless accusations of potential match-fixing against goalkeeper Wallace Magalane, without providing a shred of evidence, were unprofessional and dangerous. Match-fixing is a grave offence that can attract a lifetime FIFA ban, and to throw around such allegations…
Read MoreOPINION: Ban SaMamoe and every unruly element like him
There is no place for reckless delinquents at football stadia. At Barbourfields Stadium, there is a man who has made the advertising boards above the terraces his personal seat, the field of play his pre-match ritual ground, and security personnel’s instructions his personal inconvenience. His name, in football circles, is SaMamoe. Photographs from multiple Highlanders…
Read MoreOPINION: Tight but not competitive: The PSL title race illusion
If the PSL title race were a university class, it would be one without a single Distinction student.Four teams locked on 28 points looks dramatic—until you realise they’ve already played 15 games. Twenty‑eight points from a possible 45 is a 62.2% return, just 1.86 points per game. With more than a third of the season…
Read MoreOPINION: Chahwanda Stadium chaos: Poor security is no excuse for fan lawlessness
Security lapses were evident, but grown men invading the pitch and endangering lives cannot be excused. Individual accountability, not collective punishment, is the only way forward. The scenes at Chahwanda Stadium during Hardrock’s clash with Dynamos on 24 May 2026 were an embarrassment to both clubs and to local football. Yes, there were glaring security…
Read MoreOPINION: ZIFA should have shielded Hadebe and the Warriors from needless distractions
The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has once again and probably not for the last time, demonstrated its inability to manage crises effectively—this time in the case of Teenage Hadebe. A viral video showing the player holding a bottle presumed to contain alcohol while in camp has sparked controversy, but the FA’s response has been more…
Read MoreOPINION: Preseason camps abroad can unlock Zimbabwean football’s potential
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,…
Read MoreOPINION: Sheep to the slaughter: Zimbabwe’s Mighty Warriors enter COSAFA unprepared
Zimbabwe’s football teams keep losing before kick-off—not on the pitch, but in preparation or lack thereof. Zimbabwe’s senior women’s football team, the Mighty Warriors, march into the COSAFA Women’s Championship (CWC) on 18 February underprepared—like sheep to the slaughter. The team’s talent and commitment are unquestionable, but two weeks of training cannot deliver the endurance,…
Read MoreOPINION: Marinica is a risk Zimbabwe cannot afford
Zimbabwe’s dream of reaching the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations finals in East Africa will crumble if Marian Marinica remains in charge. The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) cannot afford to gamble on the Romanian-born gaffer, whose record across Africa is defined by failure. Instead, the Nqobile Magwizi-led ZIFA administration should look to South Africa’s example…
Read MoreOPINION: Highlanders fans must be grateful to Wicknell Chivayo
Highlanders fans should be grateful to Wicknell Chivayo for saving their club from potential bankruptcy. His sponsorship has preserved a heritage institution that was on the brink of collapse. While his financial support is invaluable, publicly attaching conditions and withholding funds when they are not met risks destabilising the very club he seeks to protect.…
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