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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
TWENTY hockey teams from seven nations have confirmed that they will participate in the Africa Cup of Club Championships set for next week at Khumalo Hockey Stadium.

The continental club championships will run from November 22-30.

This is the second time in two years for Bulawayo to play host to the games with the last edition which was held in December 2012 being won by Egyptian giants Sharkia (men) while Telcom Orange of Kenya were women’s champions. Both teams are among the 20 clubs that are attending the tournament.

HAZ vice-president Humphrey Chigwedere said the clubs attending the continental showpiece are from Egypt, Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Malawi and Zimbabwe.

All the 12 clubs that competed in the 2012 edition are coming. The men’s category had champions Sharkia Club of Egypt, Ghana duo of Golden Sticks and Trustees Hockey Club, Yobe Warriors of Nigeria and Zimbabwe’s representatives Hippo Hockey Club and Hullets.

Nigeria’s Custom Ladies, Telkom Orange and Strathmore University of Kenya, Heartland Queens also from Nigeria and the Bulawayo Athletic Club battled it out in the women’s category.

“The stage is set for the tournament and we’re ready to welcome our visitors. It’s going to be an exciting tournament and the fact that we’ve eight more clubs coming in makes it even more interesting. The tournament will see 50 matches being played,” said Chigwedere.

Zimbabwe will be represented by BAC in the women’s category with Eradicators and Hippo Valley expected to hoist the country’s flag in the men’s competition.

“After the last Africa Cup of Club Champions held in Bulawayo, we’re confident that the City of Kings and Queens are going to do a splendid job again and make the games one to remember. Even our clubs have vowed to do better than last time,” he said.

Meanwhile, Africa Hockey Federation (AHF) have informed HAZ that the tournament director and umpires’ managers would come from South Africa.

Zimbabwean officials appointed to officiate at the tournament are Ginny Ross , Sarah Bennett and Humphrey Chigwedere as technical officers with Tafara Mukaro and Pauline Ndlovu set to be judges.

Umpires Tapiwa Mafi, Bynn Lowe and Sharne Meyers complete the list of Zimbabwean officials set for the Africa Cup of Club Championships.