Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume has explained why the much-anticipated Mayor’s Charity Cup failed to take place during the 2025 season, despite being promised the previous year, citing disruptions in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) calendar.
Speaking to ZimNow Sport on the sidelines of the 2025 Christmas Lights Switching-On Ceremony, Mafume said scheduling challenges within the domestic league derailed plans to stage the tournament as expected.
“What we are going to do, last year we had a slight hiccup with the Premier League calendar. But this coming year, our stadium is working. We should be able to reignite the discussions and we will do the charity cup,” Mafume said.
He added that progress would also depend on clubs concluding their internal negotiations before the city could move forward. “We’ll see once the clubs finish their negotiations, we’ll see how we can start up the charity camp,” he continued.
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Despite the setback, Mafume insisted the Mayor’s Cup has not been shelved, confirming that the tournament is now scheduled to take place in 2026. “Yes, it will be there,” he said.
The Mayor’s Charity Cup was first announced during the Christmas Lights Switching-On Ceremony in December 2024, where Mafume promised to launch a pre-season football tournament featuring eight local clubs. The event was expected to take place in February at Rufaro Stadium and was billed as a major family festival combining football, music and business exhibitions, aimed at raising funds for the Mayor’s Cheer Fund.
Earlier this year, City of Harare spokesperson Stanley Gama reaffirmed the plans, saying preparations were in “full swing.” He said the tournament would feature Simba Bhora, Scotland, CAPS United, Dynamos, Herentals, Yadah, MWOS and Harare City, highlighting its social and entertainment value.
“More importantly, the Mayor, through his Cheer Fund, wants to raise money for the needy,” Gama said at the time, outlining plans for corporate exhibitions and performances by musicians and DJs. “We want to make it a massive family gathering.”
However, its now a year after the announcement but the Mayor’s Charity Cup has not been staged, with no dates announced for 2026.
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