Egypt’s Group Goes Quietly Hot: Zimbabwe’s Drama Over Wolves’ Munetsi Exclusion Sparks AFCON Buzz
13 December 2025
Background and AFCON context
Zimbabwe’s football association announced on Saturday that Marshall Munetsi, the Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder, was not named in the AFCON 2025 squad set to compete in Morocco in the coming days.
Officials said the omission aligned with CAF regulations and FIFA’s club-protection program covering 2023 to 2026.
They added that there has been formal, documented communication with Wolverhampton regarding Munetsi’s health and his readiness to represent the nation.
The federation stressed that medical information from Wolves indicated Munetsi was dealing with an injury at the time of squad selection, and under FIFA’s club-protection framework, injuries at the start of an international window are not automatically insured unless strict procedural and medical conditions are met.
Official stance and group setup
After Munetsi indicated willingness to play for Zimbabwe despite the injury, the federation formally requested a written consent and a waiver of liability from his club, as required by CAF’s framework governing player participation, compensation, insurance, and club responsibility.
The Zimbabwe Football Association stated that it had not received club consent or a liability waiver, and with CAF’s deadline for AFCON squad lists approaching, the mandatory documents remained incomplete.
The federation also noted that, in the absence of these approvals, it would be neither legally nor ethically viable to include Munetsi due to insurance and compliance risks.
Concluding the statement, the association praised Munetsi for his professionalism, leadership, and service to the Warriors. Munetsi had earlier voiced disappointment at not being included, insisting he was ready to contribute.
The Warriors sit in Group B at AFCON 2025, alongside Egypt, South Africa, and Angola, and they will begin their campaign against the Pharaohs.
Humor corner: If paperwork were a sport, CAF would have a world league and we’d all be champions of forms. Punchline two: my inbox is as crowded as Munetsi’s file—just hope there’s a green light somewhere between the receipts and the medical notes.
