Wolverhamton Wanderers midfielder Marshall Munetsi has expressed his disappointment about being left out of the Zimbabwe squad for the upcoming AFCON, leading Zifa to publicly respond.
Munetsi was included in the Zim preliminary squad but the were question marks regarding his availability as he suffered an injury during a Premier League game between Wolves and Nottingham Forest.
New Zim head coach Marian Marinică named his final squad last week, but the names of Munetsi and Khama Billiat were not there.
The Warriors captain then took to social media to express his disappointment.
“This one hurts, as representing the Warriors has always been a dream, and wearing our colours is the greatest honour of my career. AFCON would have even been more significant,” Munetsi wrote in a post on social media.
“I had an injury recently, but my club, Wolves, communicated with the association that I was recovering well and even offered medical support to ensure that I could participate at the AFCON.
“Unfortunately, I received no follow-up communication, and decisions were made without clarity-speculation which wasn’t the case. While I’m hurt, my unwavering support for the national team remains strong.
“I respect the coach’s decisions and stand behind the boys wholeheartedly. I will always be ready to defend the nation I love. Go Warriors, go!”
The Zimbabwe Football Association has since released a statement responding to Munetsi, stating that there was a bit of miscommunication between the club and the nation team, and his club did not sign an insurance waiver, which would’ve cleared him to partake in AFCON.
“ZIFA maintained official, continuous, and fully documented communication with Mr. Marshall Munetsi’s club regarding his medical condition and availability for international duty. These engagements were conducted formally and in strict compliance with CAF competition regulations and FIFA frameworks governing player release, insurance coverage, and institutional duty of care,” read the statement.
“Concurrently, the Head Coach maintained open and direct communication with Mr. Marshall Munetsi, ensuring that the player was fully informed throughout the process. This approach reflected ZIFA’s commitment to transparency, coordination, and respect for the player, while aligning the technical, medical, and administrative arms of the Association.
“Player health and welfare remain ZIFA’s overriding priority. Medical information formally provided by the club confirmed that Mr. Marshall Munetsi was managing an injury at the time final squad decisions were being made. Under the FIFA Club Protection Programme, injuries existing at the commencement of international duty fall outside automatic insurance coverage unless strict procedural and medical conditions are satisfied, including formal clearance and risk mitigation documentation.
“Following Mr. Marshall Munetsi’s expressed willingness to represent Zimbabwe despite the injury, ZIFA formally requested a written letter of consent and a liability waiver from his club. This documentation is a critical prerequisite under the FIFA Club Protection Programme, which governs compensation, insurance exposure, and liability management where professional players, particularly those carrying injuries, are released for international “A” matches.
“Mr. Marshall Munetsi was duly advised that the required club consent and liability waiver had not been received and was kept informed of the status of this process. However, by the time the CAF deadline for ACON squad submission was reached, the mandatory documentation remained outstanding. In the absence of these clearances, ZIFA could not lawfully. responsibly, or ethically include Mr. Marshall Munetsi in the final squad, as doing so would have exposed both the Association and the player’s club to uninsured risk and regulatory noncompliance under the FIFA Club Protection Programme.
“As a result, the Head Coach was left with no alternative but to proceed with players who were fully fit, medically cleared, insured, and procedurally eligible, in strict adherence to CAF squad submission requirements and FIFA player protection frameworks.
“ZIFA places on record its deep appreciation for Mr. Marshall Munetsi, whose professionalism, leadership, and exemplary service to the Warriors over many years are held in the highest regard. He has consistently represented Zimbabwe with distinction and pride and remains a valued member of the national football family. The Association looks forward to his continued contribution once he is fully fit and medically cleared.
“ZIFA reiterates unequivocally that Mr. Marshall Munetsi’s non-selection was purely medical, procedural, and regulatory, guided by player welfare imperatives, CAF competition rules, and the FIFA Club Protection Programme, without malice, bias, or administrative impropriety.
“Finally, ZIFA calls upon the football-loving public to remain united and to fully support the Warriors as they represent the nation at AFCON in Morocco.”
