Zimbabwe and Morocco just shook hands on a big soccer deal. The Warriors from Zimbabwe plan to play games against Morocco's Atlas Lions, who made it to the final four at the 2022 World Cup. Morocco sits at number one among African teams right now. Both countries want to share knowledge between coaches and sports managers. Women's soccer in Zimbabwe stands to gain a lot from this new friendship.
ZIFA President Nqobile Magwizi flew to North Africa, where he met with Fouzi Lekjaa from Morocco. They signed papers for a two-year partnership Saturday night. The agreement helps both nations improve their soccer programs through coach training, referee education, and youth development. They'll arrange matches between their national teams at different age levels.
Morocco offers world-class training centers that many countries admire. Morocco agreed to host Zimbabwean visitors for learning trips. Zimbabwe will welcome Moroccan teams when they visit. Before becoming ZIFA boss on January 25, Magwizi promised he would build relationships with successful soccer associations around the world.
The new ZIFA leadership wants to fix years of problems that even required the government to step in. They've started delivering on promises during their first fifty days in office. This Morocco partnership might completely change Zimbabwean soccer by making life better for players. It should also build up skills for coaches, technical staff, and administrators across the country.
Playing against Morocco creates great chances for Zimbabwe as they prepare for their sixth Africa Cup of Nations tournament. The Atlas Lions will host that competition in December 2025, and Morocco will also host the women's championship in 2026. The Warriors qualified for the men's event, but unfortunately, Zimbabwe's women's team lost to Angola during the qualifying rounds.
ZIFA deserves praise for trying to copy Morocco's approach since youth programs had stopped working properly in Zimbabwe. Morocco has become one of Africa's strongest soccer nations after years of underperforming. Their success comes from smart player development that produced stars like Paris Saint Germain defender Achraf Hakimi.
Morocco boasts famous players, including goalkeeper Yassine Bonou, former Manchester United midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, and ex-Chelsea player Hakim Ziyech. They made history as the first African nation to reach the World Cup semifinals back in 2022. FIFA ranks them fourteenth best globally, showing how far they've come recently.
ZIFA leaders understand how important development remains for future success. They believe working with leading African soccer associations creates valuable opportunities. Morocco has proven itself as a key player in African soccer growth. This partnership should help Zimbabwe improve technical skills, facilities, and management practices throughout its soccer system.
Magwizi recently traveled to Niger as well, learning about their development plans and academy setup. Meanwhile, ZIFA has started major renovations at their headquarters using money from FIFA. When construction finishes, the ZIFA Village should become a complete training facility with sleeping quarters, offices, practice fields, and meeting rooms where national teams can prepare for competitions.
The current ZIFA board considers building better facilities a top priority. They created a special Infrastructure Committee led by Harare businessman Brighton Ushendibaba. This group will oversee improvements and construction projects moving forward. These efforts show ZIFA's commitment to creating lasting positive change for soccer across Zimbabwe.
ZIFA President Nqobile Magwizi flew to North Africa, where he met with Fouzi Lekjaa from Morocco. They signed papers for a two-year partnership Saturday night. The agreement helps both nations improve their soccer programs through coach training, referee education, and youth development. They'll arrange matches between their national teams at different age levels.
Morocco offers world-class training centers that many countries admire. Morocco agreed to host Zimbabwean visitors for learning trips. Zimbabwe will welcome Moroccan teams when they visit. Before becoming ZIFA boss on January 25, Magwizi promised he would build relationships with successful soccer associations around the world.
The new ZIFA leadership wants to fix years of problems that even required the government to step in. They've started delivering on promises during their first fifty days in office. This Morocco partnership might completely change Zimbabwean soccer by making life better for players. It should also build up skills for coaches, technical staff, and administrators across the country.
Playing against Morocco creates great chances for Zimbabwe as they prepare for their sixth Africa Cup of Nations tournament. The Atlas Lions will host that competition in December 2025, and Morocco will also host the women's championship in 2026. The Warriors qualified for the men's event, but unfortunately, Zimbabwe's women's team lost to Angola during the qualifying rounds.
ZIFA deserves praise for trying to copy Morocco's approach since youth programs had stopped working properly in Zimbabwe. Morocco has become one of Africa's strongest soccer nations after years of underperforming. Their success comes from smart player development that produced stars like Paris Saint Germain defender Achraf Hakimi.
Morocco boasts famous players, including goalkeeper Yassine Bonou, former Manchester United midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, and ex-Chelsea player Hakim Ziyech. They made history as the first African nation to reach the World Cup semifinals back in 2022. FIFA ranks them fourteenth best globally, showing how far they've come recently.
ZIFA leaders understand how important development remains for future success. They believe working with leading African soccer associations creates valuable opportunities. Morocco has proven itself as a key player in African soccer growth. This partnership should help Zimbabwe improve technical skills, facilities, and management practices throughout its soccer system.
Magwizi recently traveled to Niger as well, learning about their development plans and academy setup. Meanwhile, ZIFA has started major renovations at their headquarters using money from FIFA. When construction finishes, the ZIFA Village should become a complete training facility with sleeping quarters, offices, practice fields, and meeting rooms where national teams can prepare for competitions.
The current ZIFA board considers building better facilities a top priority. They created a special Infrastructure Committee led by Harare businessman Brighton Ushendibaba. This group will oversee improvements and construction projects moving forward. These efforts show ZIFA's commitment to creating lasting positive change for soccer across Zimbabwe.
