Sports
Harare City FC Poised for Surprise PSL Comeback
Harare City FC is on the brink of an unexpected return to Zimbabwe’s Premier Soccer League after Harare City Council quietly moved to acquire a top-flight franchise from newly promoted Marondera outfit FC Hunters.
Sources with direct knowledge of the matter say the agreement was concluded on December 11 at Town House in the early afternoon. The deal is understood to involve a blended settlement, with FC Hunters’ shareholders receiving both a cash component and residential land allocated by the municipality.
However, Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume has urged caution, stressing that while initial engagements may have taken place, the transaction has not yet been finalised and remains subject to full council approval.
“There are laid-down procedures we follow as council,” Mafume said. “We were already competing in the league with the aim of getting back into the Premier League. Where teams above us face challenges, we have an obligation to take steps once it is clear they cannot fulfil their requirements.”
Should the move be ratified, it would bring FC Hunters’ brief stay in the top flight to an abrupt end, barely weeks after the club clinched promotion as 2025 Pacific Storm ZIFA Eastern Region Division One champions. Their triumph sealed by a 2–1 win over Tenax FC at Rudhaka Stadium in October had marked Marondera’s first representation in the Premier Soccer League since Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980.
Mafume acknowledged that groundwork may already have been completed but reiterated that the final word rests with the full council.
“Some preliminary matters could have been signed off,” he said, “but anything involving council must still be tabled and approved. Until that happens, the process is not complete.”
Relegated from the PSL in 2022, Harare City FC would return to elite football after nearly three seasons outside the top tier. If confirmed, the Sunshine Boys face a daunting start to the 2026 season, opening at home against league runners-up MWOS FC, before travelling to Shamva to take on bronze medallists Simba Bhora. Encounters with FC Platinum and reigning champions Scottland FC follow in the early rounds.
The development comes amid ongoing speculation surrounding FC Hunters’ financial capacity to sustain top-flight football. The club has repeatedly dismissed reports of salary arrears and financial strain, recently reaffirming its commitment to grassroots development, upgrades at Rudhaka Stadium and plans for end-of-season awards. Nonetheless, the franchise sale would relieve the Marondera side of the heavy financial demands associated with Premier Soccer League participation.
For Harare City Council, the move reopens a long-standing and contentious relationship with professional football. Harare City FC has previously been criticised for consuming public funds amid allegations of poor governance and weak commercial viability.
In May 2023, Mafume suspended council funding to the club, citing operational irregularities. A year earlier, councillors had rejected a proposal to channel US$2.3 million into the team over six months, arguing that limited resources should be directed towards essential service delivery.
The council has also come under fire for the continued deterioration of Rufaro Stadium, where drainage problems have disrupted matches and eroded potential revenue streams.
Despite those challenges, the potential acquisition thrusts Harare City back into the Premier Soccer League spotlight reviving ambitions on the pitch while once again placing the municipality under scrutiny over its stewardship of football and public funds.
• Tagwirei Pledges $100k to Former Footballers Through New Zanu PF Affiliate
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A new affiliate group, Footballers4ED, has been launched with a pledge of US$100,000 in funding for former footballers, aimed at supporting project-based livelihoods.
The initiative was unveiled at a meeting hosted by Zanu PF Youth League Deputy Political Commissar Taurai Kandishaya at his farm in Goromonzi.
Speaking to the gathering, which included several Zimbabwean soccer legends, Kandishaya announced that the funding had been pledged by businessman and Zanu PF Central Committee member Kudakwashe Tagwirei.
“Cde Kudakwashe Tagwirei pledged to support the former footballers with US$100,000 so that they come up with various projects so that they earn a better living,” Kandishaya said.
“On top of the $100k, you are allowed to get free health facility and medical at Arundel Hospital.”
Kandishaya also linked the initiative to broader national efforts, referencing recently announced presidential funding for football promotion.
He said retired footballers under the Footballers for Economic Development banner would be tasked with organizing tournaments from grassroots levels.
The event saw the attendance of former football icons such as Sunday Marimo and Evans Gwekerere.
Balon Chiseko, the National Chairman of Footballers4ED, explained the group’s purpose.
“The purpose of this organization is to remember every legend who contributed to the soccer fraternity of this country,” he said.
“We understand all former soccer players have various grievances but the initiative of this is to revive soccer through their knowledge.”
Former Warriors coach Sunday Chidzambwa expressed gratitude for the recognition.
“Since his life this is the first time to gather for an initiative that remembers us,” he said.
“I want to thank the organizers of this initiative, we are ready to develop and revive football in Zimbabwe.”
The Footballers4ED group positions itself as an affiliate supporting Zanu PF and President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Economic Development (ED) agenda.
The pledged funds are intended to catalyze entrepreneurial projects for the former athletes while mobilizing their expertise for grassroots football development.
The “Sunshine Boys” are on the verge of a dramatic return to Zimbabwe’s elite football tier. Recent reports indicate that Harare City Council (HCC) is in advanced negotiations to acquire the Premier Soccer League (PSL) franchise of newly promoted Hunters FC.
The proposed deal, which seeks to restore top-flight football to the municipality after a three-season absence, has reached a critical stage as both parties negotiate the final valuation. Initially, Marondera-based Hunters FC, who recently earned promotion from the Eastern Region Division One, placed a US$1 million price tag on their PSL slot. However, Harare City is reportedly pushing for a much lower figure.
Instead of a direct cash purchase, the municipality is pursuing a creative “swap and top” arrangement to close the valuation gap. Harare City Council’s representative in the negotiations, Housing Manager Mr. Edgar Dzehonye, dismissed claims surrounding the US$1 million figure, saying discussions were still ongoing.
“Negotiations are underway, and the amount mentioned is merely an asking price. We have significantly reduced the figure, and the purchase will be done through a swap-and-top deal. We are exchanging our Harare Northern Region Division One franchise and topping up with cash to acquire Hunters FC’s PSL franchise,” said Dzehonye.
Under the proposed structure, Hunters FC would take over Harare City’s current place in the Northern Region Division One while also receiving an additional cash payment in exchange for surrendering their PSL status.
While the footballing rationale is clear Harare City aims to avoid the demanding Division One promotion race the move has attracted internal scrutiny. Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume has urged caution, noting that although preliminary signatures may have been secured, the deal must still undergo full council approval.
The potential acquisition comes at a time when the council has faced criticism over service delivery and the condition of sporting infrastructure, including persistent drainage problems at Rufaro Stadium.
South African Premiership outfit AmaZulu have officially announced the signing of Zimbabwean midfielder Mason Mushore.
Mushore joins Usuthu after completing a move from Highlanders, marking his return to South Africa’s top flight.
Confirming the deal, AmaZulu said they were delighted to welcome the Zimbabwe international to the club from Bosso.
The 24-year-old will don the number 24 jersey and links up with fellow Zimbabwean Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya, who has been with the Durban-based side since June.
Mushore’s arrival strengthens AmaZulu’s midfield options as the club continues to build for the remainder of the season.
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