Zimpapers Logo

Kenny Ndebele

Mukudzei Chingwere Midlands Bureau
THE Premier Soccer League have advised top-flight teams that there could be changes on the money required to be paid by teams to compete in the country’s top-tier league, with the ZIFA Assembly having set in motion the hiking of affiliation fees by more than 100 percent. The proposed move is likely to face stiff resistance from clubs with most of them operating at a loss owing to paltry amounts they get from the sponsors and huge operational costs.

PSL chief executive Kenny Ndebele said he told the clubs to prepare money in the region of $31 000. “Actually people did not understand what we were talking about, we did not say the affiliation fees will be $31 000, but I told the clubs to set aside something like that for life in the Premier League. The fees will be decided by the board at the appropriate time and we will announce them when they are out.

“But what I told the clubs is that they might need something like $31 000. It is not only for the affiliation fees, but it covers things like player registration and stadium inspection. It is like when a pupil is going to Form One, a parent is told to prepare to folk out a certain amount, but that does not mean the money is for school fees, it also covers other things like uniforms,” said Ndebele.

This year teams paid in the region of $16 000 to complete in the PSL and this included affiliation fees, player registration and stadium inspection.