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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
THE Premier Soccer League will relegate two teams at the end of the 2016 season and promote a similar number into the topflight following a resolution made at Saturday’s Zifa assembly.

Four teams were being relegated from the 16-team PSL with four being promoted from Zifa’s four lower division leagues.

PSL chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele welcomed the long-awaited decision by the domestic football controlling body to adopt part of their proposals aimed at stabilising and bringing consistency to create a more competitive Premiership.

In 2011, world governing football body Fifa officials Ashford Mamelodi, the Southern African region development officer, development officer for Africa Francisco Bruscolli and consultant Brendan Menton said it was untenable to have 25 percent of teams in the top tier being relegated. The topflight could not implement Fifa’s recommendations without Zifa amending their constitution to mirror the changes.

Zifa amended their constitution in 2013 to include a section on relegation and promotion.

The football motherbody indicated that it would setup a National First Division League to be a PSL feeder, but this has not happened due to lack of resources.

As a result, winners of the four Zifa Division One soccer leagues, the Southern, Eastern, Northern and Central Regions, will at the end of the 2016 season compete in play-offs for the two promotional slots.

“We welcome the development to adopt part of our proposals. We had submitted for consideration the promotional matter, club licensing and setting up a player disputes commission or desk. Only the promotion matter sailed through and we hope this will be a stepping stone towards having a more competitive league,” said Ndebele.

The veteran administrator said making it mandatory for teams to adopt the facets of Fifa club licensing would bring stability to the local game.

He noted with concern that most clubs do not have proper administrative structures, which led to conflicts of interest within their institutions.

Ndebele said all teams in the country are yet to subscribe to the Fifa club licensing.

Zifa spokesman Xolisani Gwesela said: “The relegation and promotion format from and into the PSL will change with effect from the end of the 2016 season. Two teams shall be relegated from the Premiership while the two teams to be promoted into the elite league shall be selected through play-offs. That’s what councillors agreed on.”

The new promotion format is likely to create an exciting second half of the season both in the PSL and Zifa’s four Division One leagues.

Relegation threatened Premiership sides Hwange, ZPC Kariba, Tsholotsho, Buffaloes, Flame Lily, Whawha and Dongo Sawmill will probably treat every game like a cup final in their survival fight since they now know that should they be relegated, it would be difficult to return to the topflight.

For aspiring Premiership sides, this season presents the best opportunity to join the elite league without enduring the longer and arduous play-off route.