Legendary former Warriors captain Peter Ndlovu is set to grace the Copa Coca-Cola launch at Dewure High School in Masvingo on Friday.
Delta Beverages, under its Coca-Cola brand, sponsor the annual Under-16 schools soccer tournament.
Last year, the beverage company poured more than $100 000 into the tournament which featured 200 schools drawn from across the country and Dewure High School were the overall winners after dismissing Dangamvura from Mutare in the final which took place at Mucheke.
The organisers have indicated that they would increase the sponsorship this year. The draw for the tournament, whose theme is “Journey to Stardom”, will take place at the launch and the national finals are set for Marondera High School on June 30.
The preliminary games, starting from the zonal stage, are expected to roar into life next week. Only one team will qualify from the country’s 10 provinces.
The provincial winners will then join defending champions Dewure and hosts Marondera for the finals.
The organisers have promised a bigger and better tournament this year with the launch set to attract former and current football stars and top football administrators.
Although Ndlovu would naturally be the main attraction, other notable faces who are expected to grace the occasion include Warriors man-of-the moment Ovidy Karuru and Masvingo United coach Luke Masomere.
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Charles “CNN” Mabika has been tasked by the organisers with coordinating the event and confirmed to NewsDay Sport on Thursday that Ndlovu and Karuru were among the many stars who were expected.
Some of the stars of the Copa Coca-Cola who have made it on the local and international scene include Ndlovu himself, Progress Musepa who now plays in Poland, Warriors captain Method Mwanjali, Edward Sadomba, Knowledge Musona, Khama Billiart and Dynamos’ Martin Vengesayi. Besides Zimbabwe, Copa Coca-Cola is played in 17 other African countries.
