IT has been nearly a decade since Zimbabwe played host to a Council Of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) tournament and the confirmation that the country will host the TotalEnergies Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2026 COSAFA qualifiers is a refreshing milestone in the development and rejuvenation of the national game. In early September, 12 nations will converge in Harare for the tournament which will guarantee three top teams from the region a ticket to feature at the 2026 AFCON Under-17, which itself will also be the platform on which 10 sides from the continent can secure their passage to the FIFA Under-17 World Cup. As deputy COSAFA executive director Francis Makonese aptly put it during a breakfast symposium to galvanise corporate support for the tournament on Thursday, the regional institution is more than a football body. COSAFA are the foundation of Southern African football development and it is through the staging of such competitions like this U17 Boys Qualifier that a platform for young talent to shine, for stories to be told and for dreams to take flight is laid. We believe that ZIFA in particular and the country at large must leverage on the hosting of this event in the country. Indeed, these are legacy tournaments, it’s not just about the players on the pitch – it’s about the match officials, the coordinators, the media and every individual who contributes to the well-being of football. After all, it has been eight long years since a tournament of this magnitude was held in this country when Bulawayo was the site of the COSAFA Women’s Championship. Beyond just the football competition on the pitches of Ngoni in Norton and The Heart in Harare, the tournament provides an opportunity for sport tourism. Credit must be given to COSAFA too for ensuring that every competition they stage also benefits the community in one way or another. For young and talented Zimbabweans, this is without doubt, where journeys begin, from the grassroots of Mupandawana, Silobela, Chikombedzi, Mhondoro, Mbare, and Sakubva, to the global stage and there are numerous players who have travelled this route to stardom, including Warriors skipper Marvelous Nakamba and his deputy Marshall Munetsi. Refreshingly for the Zimbabwean game, there is increased collaboration between ZIFA, the Government, corporates and the International Federations like FIFA, CAF and COSAFA. Just like any sporting discipline football thrives through the power of smart partnerships and when there is a spirit of team work. Thus, we applaud the efforts of the new ZIFA board in fostering the working relationship with the game’s key stakeholders. It also encouraging to note that ZIFA president Nqobile Magwizi and his executive have also seen the bigger picture that staging the Under-17 AFCON qualifiers is not just about the competition, but a vehicle through which the association can play their role in the fight against social vices like drug and substance abuse eating into the fabric of society, especially among the youth. Magwizi sees the hosting of the event in Zimbabwe as “a clear testament to the growing consensus that youth football development is not merely a sporting pursuit – it is a national imperative. “It is a call to reflection, to responsibility, and to renewed ambition. It is an opportunity to reset – to forge a new path for Zimbabwean football, anchored in trust, talent, and resilience’’. In hosting the first COSAFA competition in eight years, ZIFA seem to be on track to setting the foundation for the national football reset, coming as it against the background of the association’s image that had been tainted by regular in-fighting, lack of corporate governance and mistrust from the sponsors, players and even fans alike. Now ZIFA can use such a competition like this upcoming competition to rebuild confidence in the domestic football ecosystem – from grassroots to the elite level. And Magwizi acknowledged as much, “We must assure the footballing public, our corporate partners, our communities and most importantly, the players themselves, that the Zimbabwe Football Association is committed to transparency, accountability, and excellence’’. There is a strong belief that talent is abound in the country’s 10 provinces, but that talent needs to be identified, nurtured and provided with the right platform to shine and grow. Talented young boys and girls when nurtured with care and purpose, have the power to transform not just football, but the spirit of our beloved nation. Interestingly, the COSAFA tournament is yet another testament of the country’s capacity to host events including the Barthes Trophy in rugby, ICC Cricket World Cup and Southern African track and field athletics championships among others. Let the upcoming AFCON COSAFA qualifiers as a launchpad to reinvigorate youth structures across all the provinces, stimulate infrastructure investment, and showcase what Zimbabwe has to offer in terms of tourism and hospitable Zimbabweans are.