PSL unveils 2026 fixtures months in advance

The Premier Soccer League (PSL) has taken a significant step toward professionalising Zimbabwean football by releasing fixtures for the first half of the 2026 season a full three months before kickoff, marking a sharp departure from years of last-minute scheduling.

For a long time, the league administration has been criticised for releasing fixtures barely weeks before the start of the season, a practice that hampered club planning, sponsorship negotiations and player welfare management. The early release is therefore being widely welcomed as a sign of improved governance and forward planning.

The 2026 PSL season will kick off on the weekend of March 6–8, with fixtures for Match Days 1 to 17 now officially confirmed. The league said dates for the second half of the season, Match Days 18 to 34, will be announced once CAF, CHAN and Cosafa international calendars are finalised, in order to minimise postponements.

The opening weekend promises fireworks, headlined by a blockbuster clash at the ultra-modern Chahwanda Stadium – The Heart Main Arena. Newly promoted and well-financed Hardrock FC will host defending champions Scottland FC in a glamour tie that symbolises the growing influence of the league's new "moneybags".

Elsewhere on Match Day 1, debut-season sensation MWOS FC, who finished second last year, will host newcomers Hunters FC. Former champions Simba Bhora face a tricky away assignment against Manica Diamonds in Mutare, while Dynamos — who narrowly avoided relegation last season — travel to Gweru to take on TelOne FC.

Caps United will open their campaign at home against promoted Agama FC, while Highlanders renew Bulawayo rivalries in a "returning" derby against Bulawayo Chiefs.

Fans will not have to wait long for the country's biggest football spectacle. The Battle of Zimbabwe between Dynamos and Highlanders is scheduled as early as Match Day 2, with DeMbare hosting their fierce rivals. Another heavyweight encounter, the Harare Derby between Caps United and Highlanders, is pencilled in for Match Day 11, set for May 8–10, 2026.

A particularly spicy fixture is the late-April showdown between Scottland FC and MWOS FC. The two sides developed a bitter rivalry during a controversial Division One title race last season, and their first topflight meeting is expected to be fiercely contested.

As excitement builds around the fixtures, the traditional "Big Three" find themselves in contrasting situations. Caps United appear the most prepared, appointing title-winning coach Takesure Chiragwi and backing him with a major squad overhaul. The Green Machine have signed 12 players, including Obriel Chirinda, Delic Murimba and goalkeeper Wallace Magalane, in a clear statement of intent.

In contrast, uncertainty surrounds Dynamos and Highlanders. Both giants survived relegation by the narrowest of margins last season and head into 2026 without substantive head coaches. Highlanders recently dismissed Dutchman Pieter de Jongh and made headlines by rejecting a proposal from businessman Wicknell Chivayo to appoint former Warriors captain Benjani Mwaruwari, with Chivayo offering to fund the entire project.

Meanwhile, the league's emerging powerhouses continue to flex their muscles. Scottland FC appointed veteran coach Norman Mapeza after parting ways with Tonderai Ndiraya, who guided the club to a historic maiden league title. Simba Bhora secured Mandla Mpofu to replace Joel Luphahla, now at FC Platinum, while Kelvin Kaindu has joined ambitious debutants Hardrock FC after helping Dynamos survive relegation.

With well-funded clubs strengthening aggressively and traditional giants battling instability, the early release of fixtures has only heightened anticipation. The 2026 season is shaping up as a compelling tug-of-war between old power and new money — a battle that could redefine the future of Zimbabwean football.