Young Warriors Miss U20 AFCON Qualifiers as ZIFA Explains Decision

Zimbabwe’s Young Warriors will miss the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations Under-20 qualifiers after ZIFA decided not to enter the team for the COSAFA Under-20 tournament in Mauritius, with the association saying the decision is part of a wider strategy to rebuild its junior national-team structures.

The Young Warriors were notably absent when COSAFA conducted the draw for the regional tournament, confirming that Zimbabwe will not participate in the qualifying campaign for the CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations finals to be held in Ghana in 2027.

According to The Herald, ZIFA said it had taken “a deliberate strategic decision regarding participation by our junior national teams in international competitions”. The association said it no longer wanted to enter tournaments simply to fulfil fixtures, but wanted its national teams to compete only when they had adequate preparation and a clear technical programme.

“Our approach is no longer simply to fulfil fixtures or enter tournaments for the sake of participation. We want every national team that represents Zimbabwe to do so with adequate preparation, a properly identified player pool and a clear technical programme,” ZIFA said, according to The Herald.

ZIFA said the decision should be understood within the broader Dream2030 strategy, which is aimed at creating a stronger player-development pathway from junior football through to the senior Warriors.

The association said it was working on a structured scouting system to identify and track talented young players through competitions and development programmes such as the BancABC Roots Impact Programme and the ZIFA Munhumutapa Challenge Cup.

The association also said national-team coaches for the various age groups were expected to be appointed, giving each team dedicated technical leadership responsible for scouting, player development, selection and preparation.

The Young Warriors’ absence will nevertheless be a disappointment for players and supporters because the COSAFA U20 tournament provides valuable international experience and a pathway towards the continental competition.

Zimbabwe last featured in the COSAFA U20 AFCON qualifiers in 2024, reaching the semi-finals before losing to Zambia.

This year’s draw produced three groups. Group A contains hosts Mauritius, Namibia, Seychelles and Mozambique, while Group B consists of South Africa, Lesotho, Angola and Eswatini. Group C features Zambia, Malawi, Comoros and Botswana.

Zimbabwe is the notable absentee.

For the young players who would have represented Zimbabwe, missing the tournament means losing an opportunity to compete against some of the region’s strongest emerging footballers and gain experience that can be important in their development.

The decision also comes as ZIFA looks to strengthen the pathway towards the senior Warriors. The association wants to develop generations of players who can progress through the age-group national teams before eventually competing for places in the senior side.

That ambition will now depend on whether the new scouting, coaching and development structures are implemented effectively.

For now, the Young Warriors will watch the COSAFA qualifiers from the sidelines, while ZIFA attempts to build the junior system it believes can provide the foundation for Zimbabwe’s Dream2030 ambitions.