CAF A Returns After Nine Years as ZIFA Raises the Bar for Coach Education

Zimbabwean football has reached another important milestone with the CAF A Licence Coaching Course now underway, marking the return of the elite coach education programme to the country for the first time since 2017.

The course brings together 25 coaches from across the Zimbabwean football landscape, including representatives from Premier Soccer League clubs, lower-division teams, academies and development structures, as ZIFA continues to place coach education at the centre of its football development agenda.

ZIFA President Nqobile Magwizi officially opened the course, describing its return as an important step in strengthening the technical foundations of the game.

“This is much bigger than simply hosting another course. It is about raising the standard of our football from the technical level upwards. Better coaches develop better players, better players strengthen our clubs and, ultimately, that improves the fortunes of our national teams,” said Magwizi.

The CAF A Licence is the highest coaching qualification currently available within Zimbabwe’s domestic Premier Soccer League environment and is a critical qualification for coaches seeking to operate at senior level in CAF competitions. It also enables coaches and clubs to comply with key CAF Club Licensing requirements.

The successful staging of the programme also confirms an important technical achievement for ZIFA, with the Association now fully compliant with the CAF Coaching Convention requirements necessary to host the full pathway of CAF licences from CAF D through to CAF A.

ZIFA General Secretary Yvonne Manwa said the return of the course reflects the Association’s commitment to rebuilding sustainable football development structures.

“We want coach education to be continuous and structured. Our coaches must have a clear pathway to improve their qualifications without having to wait many years for opportunities at this level,” said Manwa. “This course represents progress, but it also places a responsibility on us to ensure that the gains we are making are sustained.”

The class features a broad mix of coaches working across different levels of the game.

Scottland FC are represented by assistant coach and Class Captain Daniel Vheremu, alongside Danger Fourpence, while Premier Soccer League clubs are also represented through coaches including Naison Mchekela of Chicken Inn, Joel Luphahla of TelOne and Tonderai Marume of Triangle United.

Other participants include Njabulo Dube of Hwange FC, Isaac Nyabvure of Hardrock FC, Luke Jukulile of Blanket Mine FC, Ralph Kanondera of Shamva Mine FC and Joseph Berekerei from the FC Platinum Under-19 set-up.

The course also has representation beyond Zimbabwe’s borders, with Simon Marange listed with Kruger FC in South Africa and Zimiseleni Moyo representing Jumulo FC in Zambia. Irene Mwanza of Victoria Falls Herentals is also among the participants, adding to ZIFA’s continued drive to create opportunities for women within the technical side of the game.

Other members of the class include Kumbulani Msendeki of Sabi FC, David Madziwana of Hunters FC, Gibson Mutemera of Tenax CS FC, Norman Taruvinga of Lions Academy, Chasten Ngondonga of Dangamvura FC, David Sengu of Star FM FC-Communications League, Charles Mutero of RBZ FC, Jatson Maphosa of Chilli FC, Lawrence Mawulorm of Dynamos FC, Nkanyiso Moyo of Tenax CS FC, Arthur Tutani of Jumbo Giants and Chitonho Mutsenhu of CZA FC.

Vheremu said the participants appreciate the significance of being part of a course that has been unavailable locally for almost a decade.

“As coaches, this is an opportunity we have been waiting for. The CAF A Licence challenges us to think deeper about the game and to improve how we develop and manage players,” said Vheremu. “As a class, we understand that the knowledge we gain here must eventually benefit our clubs and Zimbabwean football as a whole.”

The intensive programme combines theory and practical sessions, with participants spending time both in the classroom and on the training field as they are exposed to the tactical, technical, physical and leadership demands of coaching at an advanced level.

Behind the return of the CAF A programme has been sustained work by the ZIFA Technical Directorate, led by Technical Director Dominique Niyonzima, who has driven efforts to restore the Association’s coach education pathway. Niyonzima said the course represents the culmination of extensive technical work and opens the door to even greater ambitions.

“Reaching the point where we can host CAF A again has taken a lot of work. It means Zimbabwe can now offer coaches the complete pathway from CAF D to CAF A within our own structures,” he said. “Our next ambition is CAF Pro. We know the standards are extremely high, but that is the level we want Zimbabwean football to aspire to.”

CAF Pro represents the next frontier for ZIFA, with the qualification having so far been hosted by only a select group of African countries, including Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria.

For ZIFA, however, the immediate focus remains on ensuring that the current group maximises the opportunity before them and that the knowledge gained filters into clubs, academies and player-development programmes around the country.

After a nine-year absence, the return of the CAF A Licence is therefore more than the reopening of a classroom. It is another building block in ZIFA’s wider drive to raise technical standards and create a stronger coaching culture capable of producing better players, stronger clubs and more competitive Zimbabwean national teams.

More News