National Sports

Zimbabwe to host Cosafa Cup in May

Zimbabwe will host this year’s Southern African football showpiece, the Cosafa Cup, from May 19 to June 1.

Cosafa secretary general Sue Destombes yesterday said 16 teams are expected to take part in this year’s event.

Flames during 2017 Cosafa tournament

Destombes arrived in Zimbabwe on Monday for meetings with Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) board and Zimbabwe Government officials to strategise on the tournament.

However, venues for the tournament are set to be confirmed in two weeks when the paperwork between the Zimbabwe Government and the organisers is finalised.

“In discussion over the last couple of months as to where we wanted the 2019 Cosafa Cup to be, the president [of Cosafa] Dr. [Phillp] Chiyangwa was determined that it is going to be in Zimbabwe because we want to make it bigger and better and that we have always held successful tournaments here,” Destombes was quoted as having said by The Herald of Zimbabwe.

“We had a very good meeting with the Sports and Recreation Commission today. They had a preliminary discussion with the Minister [Kirsty Coventry].”

She said this year’s tournament was strategic as the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations tournament starts on June 15.

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Walter Nyamilandu said the tournament would provide an opportunity for exposure to the new-look Flames. “We have taken futuristic approach by building a new team of high performing players that have the potential of turning around the Flames’ fortunes and the Cosafa Cup will be the ideal tournament,” he said.

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