Govt, ZIFA in landmark schools football deal

Zimbabwe's football development received a major boost yesterday after the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education - a move widely hailed as a potential game-changer for grassroots football.

The agreement, signed in Harare by ZIFA president Nqobile Magwizi and the ministry's permanent secretary Moses Mhike, marks a new era in integrating structured football training into the national education system. The five-year partnership seeks to nurture young talent from an early age, strengthen school-level coaching standards, and create a clear pathway from classroom football to professional leagues and national teams.

For years, the quality of Zimbabwean football has declined sharply, with stakeholders blaming weak development structures and limited school involvement in nurturing young players. The new framework is designed to reverse that trend, positioning schools at the heart of the country's football revival.

Under the MoU, every teacher involved in school football coaching will be required to hold at least a CAF B Licence within the next two years. The initiative aims to professionalise coaching standards and ensure that learners receive high-quality training during their formative years.

Sports science experts emphasise that a footballer needs at least 10 000 hours of structured development to reach elite levels — something difficult to achieve under the current system, where football is played only during the second school term.

Magwizi said the MoU represents a "legacy move" that will reshape the country's football landscape.

"I am happy to finally get to this day where we are signing the MoU where the ministry has made a decision to work hand-in-hand with ZIFA in shaping the next generation of athletes in Zimbabwe," Magwizi said.

"This MoU is built on a proud legacy, and it formalises what has always been true — that football and education are not separate but complementary forces. Through this partnership, we are integrating structured football development into the education system, nurturing talent from the classroom to the national stage."

As part of the implementation plan, ZIFA will launch provincial leagues for Under-13, Under-15, and Under-17 age groups beginning next year. The top players from these competitions will feed into national youth teams, forming a structured development pipeline that will also link with youth academies and regional centres of excellence.

"We will provide technical expertise, capacity building for teachers, and clear pathways linking school football with our academies and national teams," Magwizi said.
"We are going to have provincial leagues where the best players will be drafted into national age-group squads. This will eliminate the confusion and disputes we have seen in previous years."

Mhike commended the partnership as a turning point not just for boys' football, but for girls as well, saying the initiative will help develop the next generation of stars like former Mighty Warriors player and current women's national team coach, Sithethelelwe "Kwinji 15" Sibanda.

"We are not only talking about the boy child," Mhike said. "We also want to nurture the next Kwinji 15. This agreement gives us the structure to coordinate, plan, and grow football as a nation."

The MoU also positions Zimbabwe to benefit from FIFA's global Football for Schools programme, which supports the integration of football into education systems worldwide. This alignment is expected to provide technical assistance, equipment, and funding to help sustain the initiative.

The agreement will be in effect for five years and may be renewed depending on its success. Both ZIFA and the Ministry will form a joint working committee — including ZIFA's technical director — to oversee implementation and monitor progress.

The collaboration has been welcomed by football analysts and educators alike, who see it as a crucial step toward rebuilding Zimbabwe's football foundations. With schools serving as the cradle of sporting excellence for many of the country's greatest players, the MoU is expected to restore that legacy and provide structured opportunities for thousands of young talents.

If successfully implemented, the partnership could mark the beginning of a sustained football renaissance — one built not on chance, but on education, structure, and a shared national vision for the beautiful game.