Mighty Warriors Set for COSAFA Test in Polokwane

The Zimbabwe Senior Women’s National Team, the Mighty Warriors, will head into the HOLLYWOODBETS COSAFA Women’s Championship 2025 brimming with anticipation after learning their group-stage opponents at the official draw conducted on 4 February 2025.

The 13th edition of the regional championship will be staged in Polokwane, South Africa, from 18 February to 1 March 2025, bringing together eleven Southern African nations in a competition that continues to shape and strengthen women’s football across the region.

Zimbabwe have been drawn in Group B alongside defending champions Zambia, Botswana and Eswatini, in what is widely expected to be one of the most competitive pools of the tournament. The group offers the Mighty Warriors a valuable opportunity to test themselves against strong opposition as part of their continued growth and international development.

Reacting to the draw, Mighty Warriors Head Coach Sithethelelwe Sibanda welcomed the challenge ahead.

“This is exactly the kind of competition we want as a team,” said Sibanda. “We are facing quality opponents, but that is how players grow and how teams build belief. The focus for us is to compete with courage, discipline and pride, and to show the progress we are making as the Mighty Warriors.”

Hosts South Africa headline Group A, where they will face Malawi, Lesotho and Angola, while Group C features Mozambique, Namibia and Madagascar.

The tournament format will see the top team from each group advance to the semi-finals, joined by the best runner-up across all three groups. Due to Group C having three teams, results against the bottom-placed sides in Groups A and B will be excluded when determining the best runner-up.

All matches will be broadcast live on FIFA+ and the official COSAFA YouTube channel, ensuring Zimbabwean supporters at home and in the diaspora can follow the Mighty Warriors’ journey.

Zambia enter the 2025 edition as defending champions, while South Africa remain the most successful nation in the history of the competition with seven titles. Zimbabwe are among the former winners, having lifted the trophy in 2011, underlining the country’s pedigree in women’s football at regional level.

As preparations intensify, the Mighty Warriors will be aiming to make a strong statement in Polokwane and inspire a new chapter in Zimbabwe’s women’s football journey.

More News