The Zimbabwe Football Association President Nqobile Magwizi says the country should guard against match fixing as clubs chase glory while others are trying to escape relegation.
Writing in his weekly instalment, Inside ZIFA, Magwizi said when stakes are high some teams are tempted to fix matches.
“Clubs chasing glory or fighting relegation know how much is at stake. The beauty of football lies in this drama, the unpredictability, the raw emotion and the human struggle.
Yet history has taught us that when stakes are high, the line between fair competition and manipulation can blur,” he said.
Magwizi writes:
AS Zimbabwe’s football season reaches its defining climax, the atmosphere crackles with tension, excitement and hope.
Across the nation — from the Premier Soccer League to the fiercely contested regional Division One battles — every whistle, every goal, every point counts.
Some clubs stand on the edge of glory; others are fighting desperately to survive.
This is football at its purest: passion, resilience and relentless competition. Yet amid the drama and desire, the game also faces its sternest tests.
When pressure meets ambition, temptation stirs in the shadows. And in these moments, integrity must rise above it all.
A story worth celebrating: Hunters FC’s rise
Before we speak of challenges, it is important to celebrate progress. Hunters Football Club from the Eastern Region have written their name into Zimbabwean football history by securing promotion to the Premier Soccer League.
This represents a giant step for football in Marondera and Mashonaland East province.
Their achievement is not merely a football story; it is a triumph of consistency, hard work and community spirit.
Hunters have shown that with vision, planning and discipline, success is possible even without large budgets or star names.
On behalf of the ZIFA Executive Committee, I extend heartfelt congratulations to the players, coaches, management and supporters of Hunters FC.
Your success embodies the true spirit of sport — earned through sweat, teamwork and belief.
The final stretch: Pressure, passion and peril
As the season reaches its climax, every fixture carries the weight of destiny.
Clubs chasing glory or fighting relegation know how much is at stake. The beauty of football lies in this drama, the unpredictability, the raw emotion and the human struggle.
Yet history has taught us that when stakes are high, the line between fair competition and manipulation can blur.
Behind the celebrations and heartbreaks, darker forces sometimes emerge from the shadows, those who would trade integrity for quick gain.
This is where the cancer of match fixing thrives. It is a silent destroyer that strikes at the very heart of our game.
Understanding the threat
Match fixing is no stranger to football and no stranger to Zimbabwe. It exists wherever there is competition, ambition and vulnerability.
It wears many disguises: a player’s deliberate mistake, a referee’s tilted call, a shadowy hand from the betting world.
But at its core, it is driven by greed, desperation and the betrayal of principle.
Our game has not been untouched. There have been whispers, allegations and even confirmed cases that have stained our beautiful game.
When a coach takes payment to select a player, when an official twists the rules, when results are bought instead of earned, something far greater than a match is lost.
The soul of football is stolen. Talent is silenced. Trust is shattered. And the sacred ground of fair play begins to fall away.
We must call it what it is — CORRUPTION.
And corruption in football, as in any institution, robs not only individuals but an entire nation of its pride and potential.
The cost of corruption in the game
When matches are fixed, the damage runs deep. Fans lose faith and stop attending matches. Sponsors withdraw their support. Young players lose motivation, realising that ability alone may not be enough.
In time, entire leagues lose credibility. And when the domestic structure weakens, our national teams suffer.
Players elevated through favouritism or financial influence cannot withstand the demands of international competition. This is why match fixing is not just a moral issue — it is a developmental and economic one.
It stifles growth, scares away investment and isolates Zimbabwe from the global football community we are striving to rejoin with pride.
Building back integrity: The national response
At ZIFA, we have declared an unrelenting commitment to clean football. Working closely with the Sports and Recreation Commission and the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, we are putting in place systems to rebuild trust and strengthen governance.
The new Sports Integrity Bill, now at an advanced stage, contains robust measures to combat match manipulation and corruption.
For the first time, Zimbabwe will have legal backing to investigate, prosecute and sanction individuals who compromise the integrity of the game.
In parallel, a Task Force on Ethics and Match Integrity has been established to coordinate national efforts.
It is drawing expertise from legal, financial and football administration fields.
We have also launched a confidential whistle-blower platform, where players, officials and fans can safely report suspicious behaviour. Protecting those who speak out is crucial if we are to end the culture of silence that promotes wrongdoing.
Since prevention is always better than punishment, education has become central to our strategy.
We are rolling out ethics and integrity workshops across all regions, ensuring every player, coach and referee understands what is at stake when integrity is lost.
Shared responsibility: Clubs, officials and fans
This fight cannot be won by ZIFA alone; it demands a united front. Every club must take responsibility.
Leaders must uphold strong ethics, promote transparency and reject any form of manipulation.
Coaches must select players on merit, not money or influence. Referees must treat fairness as the ultimate measure of professionalism.
Fans and the media, too, hold immense power. Supporters must insist on clean football, while journalists must continue to shine a light where corruption hides.
Football belongs to the people, and it is the people who can protect it.
The moral renewal our game needs
No amount of regulation can replace character. What we need now is a moral awakening, a shared recommitment to honesty, fairness and respect. We must nurture a football culture that celebrates effort over shortcuts, and integrity over influence.
Every administrator, player and fan must ask themselves what kind of football nation we wish to be remembered as.
The answer must be clear: we choose a Zimbabwean game defined by fair play, professionalism and national pride.
A call to action: Protecting the soul of our game
Let this moment be our turning point. Let every whistle blow for fairness, every victory come from merit and every young player believe that their talent will carry them as far as their dreams allow.
Match fixing is a battle we can and must win, not through fear, but through unity, awareness and unshakeable conviction.
Together, we can rebuild Zimbabwean football into a beacon of integrity and excellence for Africa.
The truest victory is not written on the scoreboard; it is found in the redemption of our game’s soul.
ZIFA stands ready to match the passion of the fans and the dedication of our players with professionalism, integrity and a steadfast commitment to creating safe, sustainable spaces where football can truly flourish.
Together, let us protect what makes football truly beautiful — its honesty, its spirit and its unmatched power to unite a nation.
Nqobile Magwizi is the president of the Zimbabwe Football Association.