ZIMBABWE is set to host the second edition of the Confédération Africaine de Football (Caf) Under-17 Girls Integrated Football Tournament (GIFT) in Harare from December 8 to 18.
The tournament will feature eight teams from six Cosafa nations. It will be divided into two groups.
The draw for the pool phase will be conducted on Friday at Cosafa House in South Africa.
Zimbabwe will be represented in the tournament by Mpopoma Sports Academy, while South Africa and Namibia will have two teams each.
Caf emphasised the introduction of the GIFT U17 tournament as a platform to give club teams in the age group the opportunity to compete against their peers across their region, complementing the events already staged for national teams.
In a statement released yesterday, Caf’s head of women’s football, Meskerem Tadesse Goshime, said the tournament was created to fill a gap in women’s football.
“It aims to offer girls under the age of 17, who often play in senior leagues, an opportunity to compete at a higher level,” she said.
“This tournament not only allows young players to gain international experience, but also stimulates investment in women’s football at the level of national clubs and associations.”
Goshime said the focus of the tournament was to help expand girls' soccer on the continent and see more African countries participate in similar competitions as part of regional development.
“This tournament is a starting point for the expansion of girls’ competitions throughout Africa. The idea is to create a platform for girls under the age of 17 to play in competitions appropriate to their level and age,” she said. The inaugural edition of the Caf U17 GIFT tournament was staged in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in January this year. It was won by local side JKT Queens, who beat compatriots TDS Girls 2–1 in the final.
The teams set to participate in the tournament are:
Lesotho: Lishoeshoe
Malawi: Luwinga Academy
Namibia: Otjiwarongo Sports Academy
Namibia: Okakarara Golden Ladies
South Africa: Mamelodi Sundowns
South Africa: Refilwe FC
Zambia: Aguilla Girls FC
Zimbabwe: Mpopoma Sports Academy