COSAFA Team Meets ZIFA Ahead of CAF U17 Girls GIFT Cup

Harare – October 21, 2025

The Executive Director of the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA), Sue Destombes, and her deputy, Francis Makonese, today paid a courtesy visit to the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) headquarters in Harare, where they held a high-level planning meeting with ZIFA General Secretary Yvonne Manwa to discuss preparations for the CAF U17 Girls Integrated Football Tournament (GIFT) Cup, which Zimbabwe will host from December 8 to 18, 2025.

The visit marked a major step forward in the build-up to one of Africa’s most important youth football events for girls, organised annually by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The GIFT Cup is designed to promote structured and competitive football for girls under the age of seventeen at club and academy level, while cultivating technical discipline, tactical awareness, and leadership values among emerging players.

The Harare meeting focused on technical readiness, infrastructure assessment, tournament logistics, and legacy initiatives intended to strengthen the long-term development of women’s football. COSAFA’s engagement with ZIFA sought to ensure full alignment with CAF’s continental framework for youth and women’s football development. The discussions also covered opportunities for capacity-building across coaching, refereeing, medical, and administrative departments, ensuring that the competition benefits Zimbabwe’s broader football ecosystem long after the final whistle.

The 2025 edition of the tournament will feature girls’ clubs representing eight different countries from the COSAFA region, transforming Zimbabwe into a continental hub of youthful talent and cultural exchange. The GIFT Cup will not only showcase the next generation of female footballers but also provide a vital platform for scouts, sponsors, and development partners seeking to invest in Africa’s women’s game.

This will be the second edition of the GIFT Cup since its inception and the first ever hosted by a country in the COSAFA region. The inaugural edition took place in the CECAFA region, setting a solid precedent for CAF’s mission to expand opportunities for structured competition among young girls across the continent. Zimbabwe’s selection reflects CAF’s growing confidence in the country’s football structures, improved facilities, and ZIFA’s steady reformation under new leadership.

ZIFA President Nqobile Magwizi expressed gratitude for the faith shown by CAF and COSAFA, calling Zimbabwe’s selection both a privilege and a test of national capability.

“We are honoured by CAF’s trust and COSAFA’s partnership,” said Magwizi. “The GIFT Cup is not just a tournament, it is an investment in the dreams of young African girls who deserve platforms to shine. Zimbabwe will ensure this event leaves a lasting developmental footprint in our communities and inspires a new generation of women’s footballers.”

Magwizi added that ZIFA, with the assistance of CAF and COSAFA, have already commenced assessments of host grounds, training venues, and accommodation clusters to ensure seamless delivery. The tournament is expected to contribute significantly to sports tourism, stimulate local industries, and reinforce Zimbabwe’s growing reputation as a capable and progressive football nation.

For Zimbabwe, hosting the GIFT Cup will be about building futures, uniting nations, and showcasing Africa’s promise through the power of the girl child’s game.

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