FIFA finally lifts ban on Zimbabwe

FIFA has announced on Monday that it has lifted the 18-month ban on the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA).

The global governing body had initially suspended Zimbabwe in February 2022 following government interference in the sport.

The ban had major repercussions for Zimbabwean football, with the national team being unable to participate in the African Cup of Nations preliminaries in 2023.

However, they were permitted to compete in the qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The lifting of the ban comes as a much-needed relief for football enthusiasts in Zimbabwe.

Officials from the Zimbabwean sports authorities, led by Gerald Mlotshwa, Chairperson of the Sports and Recreation Commission, addressed the media at a press conference in Harare to share their reaction to FIFA's decision.

"We are acutely cognisant of the inconvenience, pain and frustration that the suspension from international football has elicited," Gerald Mlotshwa said.

"Never again should our football become a victim of unscrupulous administrators and social miscreants driven by self centeredness and egotism as has been the case over the years."