By Julius Manganda
The much-anticipated Harare Provincial Junior Football Development League (HPJFDL) kicks off this weekend, with 20 junior football teams from across Harare set to battle for top honours in what promises to be an exciting season of youth football.
The HPJFDL caters to several age categories, including Under-10, Under-12, Under-15, Under-16, and Under-18. These divisions are designed to provide age-appropriate competition and development opportunities, with a keen focus on preparing players for professional football pathways.
This season is particularly exciting as it coincides with the appointment of a new football administration at the Zimbabwe Football Association, led by Mr. Nqobile Magwizi. Expectations are high that the new leadership will steer Zimbabwean football to new heights.
This year, the league features several prominent academies and junior sides affiliated with well-known Zimbabwean football clubs. Teams such as Black Rhinos, Dynamos, CAPS United, Cadship Stars, Questa, Huysa, Inter Harare, Kuyamurana, Real Stars, Young Stars Budiriro Academy, Budiriro Stars, Harare City, Zimyoung, BHS Academy, Eastview, Friendly Academy, and Chitungwiza Excel College will all be participating.
The start of the season faced some delays due to a range of administrative and financial issues as many teams struggled to pay their registration and affiliation fees on time. Additionally, teams delayed in submitting player registration forms contributed to the late kickoff.
“We did face challenges with teams paying affiliation fees, possibly due to economic hardships. Some teams also failed to submit their player registration forms on time,” said the HPJL Vice Chairperson, Mr Henry Chakawa during an interview.
As the league returns for the 2025 season, the HPJL administration has come up with strategies to solve challenges that have affected the league before.
To address concerns around age cheating, the league has enforced strict player registration requirements this year in an effort to maintain the integrity of age-group competitions.
“Registering players will help curb the widespread problem of age cheating,” said the Vice Chairperson Mr Chakawa.
Beyond competition, the HPJL has also taken a proactive stance on social issues affecting youth. This season, the league will incorporate awareness campaigns in its tournaments under the theme: “Fighting Against Substance Abuse.” The goal is to educate young players and the broader community on the dangers of drug and substance abuse.
The league continues to align its operations with ZIFA and FIFA standards to ensure professional and developmental integrity. One such measure includes a requirement for each team to provide properly sized goalposts and nets for Under-10 and Under-12 matches. This move is intended to create an environment conducive to proper skill development from a young age.
With the depth of talent in this year’s league, expectations are high. The Vice Chairperson affirmed: “The caliber of players being developed in this league should form the backbone of the national Under-17 and Under-20 teams, and eventually the senior men’s national team.”
Under-18 Defending Champions, Cadship Stars, will begin their title defence with an away fixture against Harare City. The match is expected to be a thrilling derby, as both teams hail from Highfield, a suburb known for its footballing pedigree.
As the Harare Provincial Junior League roars into life, it promises to be a season filled with excitement, growth, and discovery, both on and off the pitch.
The league provides a vital platform for nurturing future stars and serves as a feeder system for national youth teams, the senior national team, as well as both local and international leagues.
2025 Season Fixtures
Week
Harare City-CADSHIP
Real Stars-Black Rhinos
Interharare-Zim Young
BHS-Young Stars
Budiriro Academy-Quesa
Budiriro Stars-Friendly
Caps United-Huysa
Chitungwiza-Excell
Dynamos-Chioniso
Eastview-Kuyamurana
