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Kenny Ndebele

Sports Reporter
THE Premier Soccer League and representatives from Mbada Diamonds are set to meet in the next two weeks to discuss prospects of hosting this year’s edition of the tournament.The Mbada Diamonds Cup, which transformed the face of the Premiership in the last three years, has been slotted on the league calendar to start on October 18.

However, the staging of the tournament still appears a major doubt this year following prolonged silence from the sponsors.

The Mbada Diamonds Cup traditionally launches in September with the games starting in October.

A source from the company yesterday said they were still to iron out some issues with their superiors to get the nod to bankroll another tournament following the success of the previous three editions and chances remain 50-50.

The source, however, said representatives from the company will meet with the league bosses before the end of the month, hopefully for a new deal.

“Obviously nothing has changed from the previous years. The Mbada Diamonds Cup traditionally is launched in September and the games start in October.

“So everything is still within the time frame.  It has been difficult to slot meetings with the PSL because it’s been a busy year. But we are still going to sit down with them before the end of the month.

“Once the tournament gets the green light from the superiors, then the parties will sign the contract, as is usually the norm, in front of the media,” said the source.

PSL chief executive Kenny Ndebele confirmed discussions were still taking place and remained hopeful that the cup will return this year.

Already three other tournaments have kicked off with the coming on board of the NetOne One Wallet Cup, which is an exclusive eight-team competition, and the return of the 16-team Chibuku Super Cup.

There were also other Cup tournaments like the ZNA Charities, won by FC Platinum, and the inaugural TM Pick n’ Pay Challenge, which pitted the country’s two heavyweights Dynamos and Highlanders.

The league is hopeful the Mbada Diamonds Cup will be held this year with the first games of the tournament set for mid-October in a provisional calendar released at the beginning of the year with the finals set to bring the curtain down on the league programme December 20.

“The Mbada Diamonds Cup is on the calendar and we have planned for it. However, we are still discussing with the partners and I cannot disclose much at the moment.

“There is a lot of consultation that needs to be done and hopefully we should have something concrete in the coming days. We will definitely issue a statement,” said Ndebele.

Highlanders are the defending champions in the Mbada Diamonds Cup after beating How Mine 3-0 in the finals at Barbourfields last year.
The previous two editions had been dominated by Harare giants Dynamos, who won the title in succession under Callisto Pasuwa.