The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) says it will go ahead with the launch of the National League this year despite opposition from some domestic football stakeholders.
ZIFA last month advised the four regions that it had resolved to embark on the National League in line with section 10 of the ZIFA Constitution.
However, the ZIFA’s four regions, namely Central, Eastern, Northern and Southern, last month wrote to ZIFA raising several concerns and asked for the National League’s kick-off to be deferred to 2024.
Speaking after the association’s Executive Committee on Friday, Acting ZIFA president Gift Banda, said:
This is an ongoing exercise. We are engaging almost everyone and we are not leaving anyone behind solely because the National Division One League is a constitutional issue that we haven’t adhered to for the past 10 years.
We can’t wait any longer because it’s affecting the quality of our football. So we are engaging everyone so that we see things with the same eye and sing from the same hymn book as we move forward.
This National Division One is also one of the recommendations that are coming from the Restructuring Committee and also a recommendation that we as ZIFA members made 10 years ago.
When this was done, it was done with the mind of making our football bigger and better.
ZIFA has invited four clubs from each region to join the inaugural National League.
The bottom four clubs that were relegated from the Premiership are also expected to join the new league.
Banda said an interim executive committee will be set up with members to be seconded from the regions that currently make the country’s four division one leagues.
He said issues of sponsorship and fixtures were still being worked out.