Plans afoot for women’s teams to participate in Independence Cup Miriam Sibanda
Miriam Sibanda

Miriam Sibanda

Mzingaye Sibanda Sports Reporter
WOMEN’S soccer boss Miriam Sibanda said plans are on the cards to have Black Rhinos and Bulawayo’s Inline Academy curtain raising the Independence Cup third-place match between Highlanders and Harare City at Barbourfields Stadium on Friday.
Women’s soccer has been sidelined in recent national celebrations and there cannot be a better audience for the girls to showcase their skills than before the huge crowd expected at the celebrations.

Sibanda said they want to use the stage to raise awareness among the multitude of fans about women’s soccer.
“We are trying to organise that we have a match played in Bulawayo as part of the Independence celebrations, but as you know there is protocol to be followed when it comes to government events, so we hope to liaise with those involved. We will see what happens,” she said.

Only one match has been confirmed so far between Tanax and Faith Drive in Mutare as part of Zimbabwe’s 34th Independence Day celebrations. Both are women’s soccer sides.

Sibanda who took over from Mavis Gumbo after being elected last month said they are also contemplating on approaching the Premier Soccer League so that they can curtain-raise some of the games as a way of marketing the sport.

“It’s a proposal we are going to take to PSL but there are challenges that are there as most men’s teams don’t believe in sharing dressing rooms with women.

“But we will look into that as we celebrate our Independence and it’s our goal to raise women’s soccer and give the girl child the opportunity,” said Sibanda.

After attending a soccer indaba in Johannesburg, South Africa, last week Sibanda encouraged clubs to use the social media to reach out to their fans and corporate world.

“It was an opportunity to learn how to develop football in general. I saw that we are lagging behind in using the social media to reach out to the fans and corporate world. Our clubs should adopt that,” said Sibanda.

She encouraged Zifa to think outside the box so that they can attract sponsorship like in the South African Premiership where clubs are well funded with monthly payouts from the league and its sponsors.

You Might Also Like

Comments