ZIFA'S new executive committee have had their eyes opened to some of the expectations and the benchmarks related to global football governance following some highly engaging ongoing sessions with their international federation -- FIFA -- this week.
A FIFA delegation has been in the country since Sunday and got down to business in Harare from Monday to conduct an induction for ZIFA president Nqobile Magwizi and his executive committee.
The key workshop, which will help the new ZIFA administration to understand some of the finer details of how FIFA operates and interacts with member associations, is expected to end tomorrow.
Former Botswana Football Association president and FIFA regional officer for Southern Africa, David Fani, is facilitating the induction with the help of the world football controlling body's consultant Stewart Regan in Harare.
Other FIFA officials from such departments like governance, legal, and finance have also been attending virtually.
At the end of the four days, the ZIFA executive committee is expected to have an appreciation of their roles and responsibilities.
ZIFA spokesperson Michael Madoda told Zimpapers Sports Hub that the programme will end on Friday.
"FIFA is conducting an induction programme for the Executive Committee from 25-28 February 2025. The induction will be facilitated by FIFA official David Fani and FIFA consultant Stewart Regan," said Madoda.
"The induction is aimed at equipping the Executive Committee with the requisite knowledge and best practices in football administration and governance.
"That will be their (FIFA) only engagement in the country."
The induction programme is also being attended by senior management at ZIFA.
Strategic planning and implementation will also come up for discussion.
The executive committee, which was elected into office last month, taking over from the FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee led by Lincoln Mutasa, is mandated to bring back systems into place in the aftermath of the problems that rocked the national game including an international suspension in February 2022.
At the end of the Normalisation Committee's tenure, Magwizi secured a thumping victory, polling 61 out of the 72 valid votes cast.
The world football governing body supervised and gave the thumbs up to the election process.
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The other members of the new board are the two vice-presidents Kennedy Ndebele and Loveness Mukura; board members Kudzai Kadzombe, Alice Zeure, Tafadzwa Benza, Thomas Marambanyika, Brighton Ushendibaba and Davison Muchena.
Two more members are set to come from the Premier Soccer League and the Zimbabwe Women's Football League.
The two leagues are, however, yet to conduct elections to choose substantive chairpersons.
After an ugly past, ZIFA characterised by boardroom squabbles, corruption, abuse of office, sexual harassment of female referees, legacy debts, poor planning, lack of professionalism, and accountability, Magwizi's leadership have tough task on their hands.
ZIFA last week also announced various committees and indicated that an extraordinary meeting, which is set to ratify these bodies, will be staged next month.
The EGM is also expected to confirm the electoral committee to oversee the elections at PSL and the ZWSL.
