The Herald
13 October 2011
Zifa are hoping to use the goodwill they are enjoying with the Government now to help them in securing the State’s guarantee to host the 2012 African Women Championships. The soccer mother body has, over the last year, mended their relationship with the Government and the Sport and Recreation Commission and in turn have started receiving support from the ministry. The Confederation of African Football have offered Zimbabwe a chance to host the women’s version of the Africa Cup of Nations if they meet the conditions needed to stage an event of such magnitude.
This year in July, Zimbabwe successfully hosted the Cosafa Women’s Championships following the last minute withdrawal of Reunion. The African championships also serves as the qualifying games for the World Cup and the teams which finish in the top two automatically qualify for the next edition of the Fifa Women’s Soccer World Cup. The Mighty Warriors have been drawn to play Botswana in the preliminary round with the winners set to meet defending champions Nigeria in the final qualifying round.
But if Zimbabwe succeed in hosting the event they will automatically qualify for the tournament as the hosts
After briefing the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture David Coltart on Tuesday during the signing of a memorandum of understanding for grassroots development, Zifa are now expected to make the formal request by writing to the permanent secretary Stephen Mahere and submit the letter from Caf lutlining the continental soccer governing body’s requirements. Zifa chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze said they cannot disclose much at the moment and will only do so after engaging the Government first.
Coltart, however, revealed that it is the government’s policy to put the country in a good light by hosting many international events, which in turn also market the nation. South Africa hosted last year’s AWC in Johannesburg and missed out on the World Cup ticket after coming third behind winners Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea.
If Zimbabwe succeed in hosting the AWC it would be the first time for the country to host a football event of such magnitude. Zimbabwe hosted the 2009 Cosafa Men’s Challenge and won the event while the Mighty Warriors also won the Cosafa title on home soil in July beating defending champions Banyana Banyana 1-0 at Rufaro.