Faith Ndou
MASVINGO-The Warriors fans have expressed disappointment over the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA)’s new kit which was unveiled yesterday to be used during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) set for Morocco later this month.
Zimbabwe placed in Group B will face Egypt on 22 December, Angola on 26 December and South Africa on 29 December 2025.
But instead of sparking national pride, the kit has ignited a fierce social media storm with supporters and football analysts condemning the new kit as “uninspiring,” “cheap-looking” and “the ugliest in Warriors’ history.”
The outrage intensified after ZIFA presented the same design in three different colours, a move many felt undermined the credibility of the publicised national kit design competition.
ZIFA had earlier announced on 22 July that “Gallant” was the winner of the Warriors’ kit design competition, selected from 12 finalists who were shortlisted following a national designer call launched in April.
The Warriors kit selection committee was chaired by Dr. Crispen Sachikonye and the other members are Footballers Association of Zimbabwe president Desmond Maringwa, Sapi Bachi, Brett vaRooyen, Eb Ayisa, Danayi Madondo, and Carl Ncube.
Despite the competition’s promise of innovation and fan involvement, many supporters felt shortchanged.
Prominent sports journalist Yvonne Tendai Mangunda wrote on Facebook, “Same design on three colours after all that noise about design competition. Eeeeh.”
Another Facebook user commented, “Patriotism or not, I’m not sugarcoating anything this Warriors’ kit is painfully UGLY… Izvi muchapfeka mega, because no sane person is wasting $50 on this eyesore.”
Football blogger Makomborero Mutimukulu criticised the kit as “beyond ugly” and “hideous,” arguing that everything about it “screams cheap.”
He claimed even players “looked embarrassed” during the reveal and warned the fabric might not withstand AFCON’s physical gameplay.
Mutimukulu also blasted ZIFA for attempting to produce their own kit instead of partnering with reputable sportswear brands, saying, “Serious FAs focus on running the game and leave kit designing to experts.”
Funny, Frustrated Reactions From Fans
Social media was a mix of anger and humour:
Umnikazi Wempuphu: “Ngathi yi school kit” (Looks like a school uniform)
Prince Rolland Moyo Phakathi, “Kanty shuwa sawonani kuleli lizwe bakithi 😭… Kwiyini sooo 🧍🏾♂️”
Simon Maphosa: “Haa iyi nyika ndeyekupi…”
One commenter summed it up,“When national colours spark both pride and memes 🇿🇼😂”
Despite the backlash, ZIFA maintains that the project is part of a bigger commercialisation strategy. The new administration believes producing its own kits could unlock revenue for football development.
Explaining the vision when the competition was launched, ZIFA president Nqobile Magwizi said,“If we manage to produce our own kits and sell for US$20 and if we sell three million kits per year, that is US$60 million. This is a move to unlock the value of the Warriors brand.”
The winning designer was required to create three match-day kits (home, away and alternative) plus a new Warriors logo. This approach mirrors countries like Zambia, Malawi and Uganda which have adopted localised branding to reduce costs.
Currently, Zimbabwe uses Puma kits which supporters say are too expensive, costing at least US$45.
Amid the mounting backlash, ZIFA has not yet issued an official statement defending the kit or addressing supporter concerns.
The Warriors are still expected to wear the controversial Gallant-designed kit when they open their AFCON campaign against Egypt on 22 December.
