Zimbabwe’s national football team, known as the Warriors, faces a tough path to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with African football giants Nigeria and regional rivals South Africa drawn in their qualifying group. The 2026 World Cup will be hosted jointly by Canada, the United States, and Mexico, and will expand to 48 teams, giving Africa 10 guaranteed spots.
The Warriors are placed in Group C alongside Nigeria, South Africa, Benin, Rwanda, and Lesotho. Only the group winners will secure direct qualification to the tournament, while the four best runners-up will enter a play-off for a chance to join the final 10 African teams heading to North America.
This comes after FIFA lifted its suspension of the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) and established a temporary Normalisation Committee to run the organisation until June 2024. The ban, imposed in February 2022 due to government interference, saw Zimbabwe excluded from the qualifiers for major tournaments, including the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. FIFA’s intervention stemmed from allegations of sexual harassment by ZIFA officials and financial misconduct within the governing body.
Now, with the Warriors back in the fold, the qualifiers are set to kick off on the first weekend of November. The Normalisation Committee’s mandate includes restructuring ZIFA, updating its statutes, and organising new elections. The committee also aims to address issues of sexual harassment and establish a clear collaboration with the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC).
Group C Teams:
- Nigeria
- South Africa
- Benin
- Zimbabwe
- Rwanda
- Lesotho
Zimbabwe’s participation in the qualifiers marks an important step in the nation’s return to international football, as they aim to secure one of the continent’s coveted spots in the 2026 World Cup.