In a vibrant display of youth talent and national pride, the FC Porto Academy Zimbabwe successfully hosted the inaugural Under-13 Next Generation Cup yesterday.
The tournament, which coincided with the nation’s 46th Independence Day celebrations, brought together 16 teams from across Zimbabwe for a day of high-octane football and community spirit.
The event was established not only as a critical platform for talent identification but also as a proactive initiative to steer young people away from the scourge of drug and substance abuse through the power of sport.
While the majority of the participating teams hailed from the capital, the tournament lived up to its national billing by attracting sides from as far afield as Bulawayo, Nkayi, Bindura, and Norton. The diverse lineup featured prominent developmental sides, including the hosts FC Porto Academy, Nkayi Soccer Academy, Total Football Academy, Sporting Braga Lions, and Scottland Academy.
Other participating teams that made the event a success included BHS Academy, Rock Academy, Bundu Rollers Football Club, Harare Town City Boys, Multi-Talent Soccer Academy, Auckland Academy, Big Staff Soccer Academy, Better 11 Soccer Academy, and Bright Stars Soccer Academy.
The festivities were overseen by the leadership of FC Porto Academy Zimbabwe, including general manager Tichaona Moleni, who emphasised the academy's commitment to international standards of youth development.
The event also drew interest from the professional football fraternity. TelOne FC head coach Herbert Maruwa made a brief appearance to witness the grassroots talent, as his Gweru-based top-flight side is currently in Harare to face CAPS United at Rufaro Stadium today.
Tournament director Trymore Charuma expressed immense satisfaction with the tournament's impact and the quality of play on display.
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"We are quite happy even with the turnout of the teams because they are all over from Zimbabwe, other ones from Bulawayo or as far as Bindura," said Charuma. "We are actually supporting the Zifa initiative to start from the grassroots, nurturing these kids from the young ones to prepare them for a pathway when they participate in the national team."
Charuma also highlighted the significance of the timing, noting that the tournament served as a tribute to the nation’s history.
"We really appreciate 4May, which is our main sponsor for FC Porto Academy, and we also want to appreciate Chicken House who have made our event so successful. We wanted to celebrate this special day by giving these youngsters something to remember—that on independence day, we actually played our tournament in a way of celebrating our national unity."
Charuma confirmed that the Next Generation Tournament is set to become an annual fixture on the youth football calendar, with plans to expand the format in future editions.
Among the notable attendees was Dynamos secretary general Devine Sena, who attended both as a high-ranking football official and a supportive parent. Sena, who also donated footballs to the initiative, lauded the organisers for providing a healthy alternative for the youth.
"You see a lot of kids are here, they are occupied. They are spending more time out of the streets, doing what they love the most. By the time they get home, they are all tired and resting. So this is quite important in terms of driving the anti-drug campaign," Sena remarked.
Sena was impressed by the logistical execution of the event, adding, "The tournament is top-notch in terms of organisation, and you can see even by the attendance. I want to commend the organisers for such a brilliant event."
