Abel Ndooka
Eddie Chikamhi
Zimpapers Sports Hub
IN about six weeks, the Warriors will embark on a crucial 2026 World Cup qualifying battle against Benin to mark the beginning of competition in what could turn out to be a big year for Zimbabwean football.
Playing for the first time after “factory settings were literally restored’’ at the association with the election of a substantive ZIFA executive committee, Zimbabwe have at least six World Cup Group C games lined up.
This will be before they close the year in Morocco, where they will be among the 24 finalists vying for the Africa Cup of Nations continental honours.
ZIFA Technical Director Jethro “Chemi’’ Hunidzarira yesterday told Zimpapers Sports Hub that the association has a big task on their hands to prepare the team.
He suggested that authorities should expedite the renovations at the National Sports Stadium for the World Cup qualifiers and has in mind a longer training camp either in Europe or North Africa ahead of the AFCON finals.
Morocco will be in the middle of winter when the AFCON tournament takes place between December 21 and January 18, 2026, so it is key to acclimatise.
“We don’t want to bite more than we can chew. But it’s critical that we have very good preparations,” said Hunidzarira.
“I think if we can manage to have an international camp, crucially around a month or so, which is very difficult because most of our players will be in mid-season.
“Most of the European leagues, they restart in August. So, it’s a bit tricky for us to have a long camp. Maybe the only likely thing that could happen is if we can have a camp somewhere in Europe or in North Africa where we can assimilate to the conditions and manage to have all the players in.
“The timing has to be right.”
Zimbabwe were drawn to play Southern African rivals South Africa and Angola as well as North African giant Egypt in Group B of the AFCON finals in Morocco.
Hunidzarira said he was happy the Warriors were viewed as the underdogs of the group because of their rankings.
South Africa’s coach, Hugo Broos, reckons that only Egypt could give Bafana Bafana a scare in Group B.
Zimbabwe are the least ranked side in Group B.
The Warriors sit at the bottom of the four-team pool at number 33 on the continent.
Angola are 17th, South Africa is 10th, and Egypt, who are the group’s top seeds, are ranked third on the continent.
“I think it’s a fair draw to me and I can see we are the underdogs in the group,” added Hunidzarira.
“We have played these teams before on different occasions, and we have had mixed results with them, but at least the underdog tag that they have given us . . . I think it puts us in a safe place.
“It now depends on the way we are going to prepare ourselves, which is very critical. We need to prepare properly, and I’m sure we can progress from the group games and go to the knock-out stage.
“We read that the South African coach has written us off already; that they can beat us. It’s just that we are not bigger than anybody else.”
Hunidzarira also shares the same sentiments with Zimbabwe coach Michael Nees that, despite the Warriors’ slow take-off in Group C of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, there are still hopes for a dramatic comeback.
Zimbabwe sits at the bottom of Group C with just two points from four games after two defeats and as many draws. The trio of surprise leaders, Rwanda, Benin, and South Africa, are tied on seven points, while Lesotho have five and powerhouses Nigeria has three.
Hunidzarira believes the Warriors could be able to pick up more points if they play their home games on home soil. Unfortunately, the team has been forced to host their opponents in the qualifiers on foreign soil due to the unavailability of CAF-approved stadiums in the country.
The election of Nqobile Magwizi as new ZIFA president has rekindled the hopes of having the National Sports Stadium renovations sped up for at least part of the remaining World Cup assignments.
After playing Benin in March, Rwanda in September, and South Africa in October.
“We are praying that we can manage to have our grounds ready. If we could play at home, I’m sure it would give us more of a chance. But we need to have a good start.
“We need to win the first game that we play so that we don’t compromise our goals because if we lose, it could be lights out for us. But if we win, it keeps us in there with a chance of causing an upset.
“It’s that kind of a tricky situation. But like I said, if we win the first game that we will play, it will be crucial,” said Hunidzarira.
The Warriors will play more high-profile games together this year, and German coach Nees could use every opportunity to strengthen and improve his team, according to Hunidzarira.
“He has actually made it clear that he needs to blend the youngsters and prepare them for the senior team. But mostly it’s like we are focusing on the (AFCON) finals.
“Whatever we do, we need to use that opportunity to improve. But we also have an ambitious feeling that if we can do our things right, we might gatecrash the 2026 World Cup.
“So, the coach is in a very difficult situation. But he wants to blend the youngsters so that he can have some of them, maybe being part of the AFCON national team.
“It’s a bit tricky. But he will have to make the decisions like he does. He has the final decision,” said Hunidzarira.
Online Reporter
