Sports Correspondent

The Zimbabwe national football team, the Warriors, will kick off their 2025 season with the final phase of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.

Zimbabwe’s Group C campaign will begin with a home match against Benin, followed by an away fixture against Nigeria, during the first international window of 2025 from March 17–25.

During the next international break, from June 2–10, the Warriors will have the opportunity to arrange two international friendlies. Although the COSAFA Cup is expected to take place around this time, it does not appear on the 2025 FIFA calendar.

World Cup qualifying will resume in September, with Zimbabwe traveling to Benin for the reverse fixture before returning home to host Rwanda.

The Warriors will conclude their World Cup qualification campaign with crucial home and away matches against South Africa and Lesotho, scheduled from October 6–14.

The November 10–18 window will not feature World Cup qualifiers for CAF nations. However, coach Michael Nees is expected to organize additional friendly matches for the Warriors as they ramp up their preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in Morocco.

The 2025 AFCON will run from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, marking the Warriors’ final major tournament of the year.