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Innocent Kurira , Sports Reporter

ZIFA is awaiting Government’s approval to announce the Warriors’ squad for the Cosafa Cup set for next month at Nelson Mandela Bay in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province.

The Cosafa Cup will run from July 7-18.

Football remains suspended in Zimbabwe since the Government tightened lockdown restrictions by banning contact sport and gatherings, meaning Zifa has to seek clearance from the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Kirsty Coventry for the Warriors to start training for the southern African tournament.

The Warriors were drawn in the same group with guests Senegal, Africa’s number one ranked nation, Mozambique and Namibia.

Warriors’ team manager Wellington Mpandare said the Cosafa Cup squad will be announced as soon as Zifa get the green light from the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC).

“We are still waiting for approval before we release the squad,” said Mpandare.

Zimbabwe is the most successful team in the Cosafa Cup with six wins since the tournament was inaugurated in 1997 followed by Zambia with five, South Africa (4), Angola (3) and Namibia (1).

The Warriors last won the Cosafa Cup in 2018 when they beat Zambia 4-2 after extra time in the final played at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, South Africa.

They went on to finish third the following year after overcoming Lesotho 5-4 on penalties in a third-place play-off in Durban.

The Cosafa Cup has over the years launched the careers of a number of top stars from the southern African region and continues to be a major driver of football development on and off the pitch for not just players, but coaches, match officials and administrators.

Those competing in the group stages of the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers from September will embrace the tournament as a good preparatory stage for a shot at booking a ticket for the finals in Qatar. — @innocentskizoe