Zimbabwe’s Young Stars Aim to Compete And Learn in Stellenbosch

Zimbabwe’s next generation of football talent is preparing for a major challenge in Stellenbosch, South Africa, where the CAF African Schools Football Championship and COSAFA Qualifier will bring together the region’s best U15 boys’ and girls’ teams. For ZIFA, this is not a routine trip. It is a deliberate mission to compete, to grow and to plug our youngsters into a pathway that blends football, education and long-term opportunity.

Although South Africa are chasing a fourth successive title, Zimbabwe is heading to the tournament with real intention. The team has been selected through a strengthened schools-football system, with trials emphasising discipline, coachability and academic commitment. Every match in Stellenbosch will be high stakes as only one boys’ team and one girls’ team from the COSAFA region will qualify for the continental finals. ZIFA’s message is clear, we are going to South Africa to challenge, not just participate.

What sets this tournament apart is the powerful package of legacy programs surrounding it. These include coaching courses, referee development workshops, a Young Reporters Program, medical and safeguarding sessions, nutrition education, grassroots festivals, Young Energy Champions activities and even coding and analytics workshops for teenagers. These programs are designed not just to support the tournament, but to build long-term capacity across the region. ZIFA sees these platforms as vital to Zimbabwe’s football development journey, and members of the technical, medical and administrative teams travelling will absorb this knowledge for local application.

For the boys and girls representing Zimbabwe, the experience promises to be career-shaping. On the field, they will be tested by the best young players in Southern Africa, learning new tactical systems, dealing with pressure and experiencing competition structures similar to the professional game. Off the field, they will interact with highly trained coaches, modern referees, sports scientists, safeguarding officers, media personnel and young journalists. This environment teaches early professionalism, how to train, how to speak to the media, how to fuel their bodies and how to carry themselves as athletes.

For girls in particular, this platform is a powerful statement about opportunity. Women’s football is rapidly growing, and competing in a structured, internationally backed tournament sends a clear message to every young Zimbabwean girl, football can be a real career pathway.

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