ZIFA prop up fut­sal, beach soc­cer

Zimbabwe's futsal and beach soccer codes are set for a major restructuring as the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) intensifies efforts to bring both formats under formal governance and expand their national footprint.

After years of inconsistent activity, futsal is expected to return to organised competition this weekend, with national league fixtures, as well as Division One (Southern Region) and women's league matches, scheduled to kick off in Bulawayo.

ZIFA technical teams, led by technical director Dominique Niyonzima, are expected to oversee the launch of the leagues, alongside a parallel referee training programme currently underway at the Football for Hope Centre.

The training initiative targets young referees under the age of 25 and is aimed at improving officiating standards and aligning local futsal with international benchmarks.

Futsal National League president Philani Banda said the sport remains heavily constrained by funding shortages and limited infrastructure.

"The biggest challenge is that the sport is severely underfunded," Banda said, adding that competitions are currently concentrated in Harare and Bulawayo but efforts are underway to expand nationwide.

Despite the renewed activity, ZIFA officials say significant work remains to standardise the sport.

Niyonzima said recent observations showed inconsistencies in how the game is being played locally.

"What we saw is not futsal… it's mini football," he said, stressing the need for proper rules, structure and regulation.

He noted that existing participation levels are encouraging, with 12 men's teams and six women's teams already engaged, and highlighted FIFA-supported infrastructure in Bulawayo as a foundation for proper futsal development.

Beach soccer, which has largely remained undeveloped in Zimbabwe, is also set for revival through a festival linked to the Munhumutapa Challenge Cup.

ZIFA officials say the festival will serve as a testing ground before a fully structured national competition is introduced.

Niyonzima said beach soccer development would be simplified due to minimal infrastructure requirements, noting that basic sand pitches could be established in multiple locations across the country.

"ZIFA can build; it's the easiest thing to build," he said.

ZIFA board member responsible for competitions Thomas Marambanyika said the initiative aims to formalise previously underdeveloped formats and build sustainable structures over a five-year cycle.

He said the Munhumutapa Challenge Cup will serve as a catalyst for beach soccer development, helping establish a consistent competitive system.

"At the end of the five-year cycle… we would really have a well-structured system in terms of how beach soccer will play," he said.

With both futsal and beach soccer now placed under renewed administrative focus, ZIFA says the immediate goal is to stabilise competitions, improve technical standards and expand participation.

However, officials acknowledge that funding constraints, infrastructure gaps and historical neglect remain major hurdles in transforming the two formats into fully fledged national sports.