Officials announced on Monday that FIFA has lifted the Zimbabwe Football Association’s 18-month suspension.
Due to political meddling in sport, Zimbabwe was suspended by the international governing body in February 2022.
The team was unable to participate in the 2023 African Cup of Nations preliminary matches as a result. However, they were permitted to participate in the Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifying games.
Zimbabwe’s sports authorities held a press conference in Harare after the announcement.
“We are acutely cognizant of the inconvenience, pain and frustration that the suspension from international football has elicited,” Gerald Mlotshwa, Chairperson of the Sports and Recreation Commission, said.
“Never again should our football become a victim of unscrupulous administrators and social miscreants driven by self centeredness and egotism as has been the case over the years.”
Additionally, Zimbabwe was disqualified from the World Cup qualifying matches for not paying previous national coach Jose Claudinei Georgini of Brazil.
The group is now free to travel to Abidjan, Ivory Coast, where the draw for the 2019 World Cup qualifiers for Africa will take place on Thursday.
