Zifa unveils Richest football trophy worth USD$25 million

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has launched what is being described as the richest football trophy in Zimbabwe’s history after unveiling the **US$25 million ZIFA Munhumutapa Challenge Cup** in Harare on Wednesday.

The tournament, which will run over the next five years, is expected to involve more than 500 teams from across the country. The launch ceremony, held at the Celebration Centre, drew football officials, players and supporters who gathered to witness the introduction of a competition aimed at revitalising domestic football.

Speaking during the event, Mnangagwa confirmed that his office would sponsor the tournament to the tune of US$25 million over the five-year period.

“It’s no longer hearsay. The ZIFA Munhumutapa Challenge Cup will be sponsored to the tune of US$25 million over the next five years,” Mnangagwa said, adding that football remains a powerful unifying force in society.

“I am a football supporter myself. Football is a universal language that transcends every barrier.”

The initiative was welcomed by Nqobile Magwizi, president of the Zimbabwe Football Association, who said the competition aligns with the government’s development agenda and aims to broaden participation in the sport across the country.

Magwizi said the tournament would bring together teams from the Premier Soccer League, lower divisions, grassroots structures and community clubs, offering opportunities to players from urban centres and remote rural areas alike.

The launch also featured a recorded message from Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, who welcomed the initiative and expressed support for the development of football in Zimbabwe.

Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana said the Munhumutapa Cup marks the return of a nationwide knockout tournament after the last ZIFA Cup competition was staged in 2005 under the Unity Cup banner. He said the new competition would be the largest knockout event ever organised in Zimbabwean football.

Mangwana added that the men’s champions of the competition would qualify to represent Zimbabwe in the CAF Confederation Cup, offering clubs a route to continental competition.

The trophies for the tournament were also unveiled during the ceremony. Designed by Zimbabwean luxury brand Patrick Mavros, the silverware draws inspiration from the Conical Tower of Great Zimbabwe, one of the country’s most important historical monuments. The men’s and women’s trophies feature crocodile engravings symbolising strength and resilience.

The competition will include several categories beyond the senior men’s game, including women’s football, youth tournaments for Under-14 and Under-16 teams, futsal and beach soccer.

However, the announcement has also attracted criticism from some political figures. Opposition lawyer and politician Fadzayi Mahere questioned the funding and organisation of the tournament on social media, asking who would administer the competition and where the US$25 million sponsorship originates.

Despite the debate, the launch has generated excitement among football communities across Zimbabwe, with many grassroots teams seeing the Munhumutapa Challenge Cup as a rare opportunity to compete on a national stage and potentially earn a place in continental competition.