Zim champions coach wary of Nsingizini

MBABANE – Scottland FC Coach Norman Mapeza has warned his side against underestimating Nsingizini Hotspurs in their CAF Champions League clash. 

The pairing was confirmed following the 2026/27 Confederation of African Football (CAF) inter-club competitions draw conducted in Cairo, Egypt, on August 6,2026. As Zimbabwe’s sole representative, Scottland face Nsingizini in the first preliminary round. If they progress, they will meet the winner between seeded Petro Atletico of Angola and UD Songo of Mozambique in the second preliminary round.  Although Scottland FC avoided a potential meeting with reigning champions Mamelodi Sundowns, who won last season’s title against Morocco’s AS FAR, Mapeza remains wary. Nsingizini hold recent pedigree against Zimbabwean opposition after knocking out Simba Bhora in last season’s preliminary round on penalties following a 1-1 aggregate draw. The Eswatini side also defeated Scottland 2-0 in a pre-season friendly in February. 

“It’s not going to be easy because Nsingizini Hotspurs are a very good side,” Mapeza told Zimpapers Sports Hub shortly after the draw. “Remember they knocked out Simba Bhora last season.” Reflecting on February’s pre-season loss, Mapeza stressed that context mattered as his squad were only two weeks into preparations. However, he praised the opposition’s development: “They have been doing well in Eswatini. You can see that their football is evolving. There are no smaller teams anymore in Africa.” Mapeza also noted the calibre of players Eswatini has exported to Zimbabwean clubs, including Hardrock and Scottland. Backed by gold magnate Pedzai ‘Scott’ Sakupwanya, Scottland’s financial muscle has led sections of emaSwati to describe them as the ‘Mamelodi Sundowns of Zimbabwe’. 

Mapeza brings vast continental experience to Scottland FC. Early in his managerial career, he laid the foundation for Monomotapa United’s 2008 league title, earning them a historic Champions League group stage run. Under his guidance, FC Platinum secured consecutive qualifications for the Champions League group stages (2018/19 and 2019/20 cycles), while regularly navigating preliminary rounds against regional opposition such as Mozambique’s Costa do Sol and managing in the 2020/21 CAF Confederation Cup play-offs. Scottland FC must clear two preliminary rounds to reach the group stage.

The 2026/27 CAF inter-club preliminary rounds kick off with the first preliminary round first-leg ties taking place in the period September 4-6, 2026, followed by the decisive return legs from September11 to 13 , 2026. Nsingizini will start their campaign away from home.  Teams advancing to the second preliminary round will play their first-leg fixtures between October16 and 18, 2026, with the second-leg encounters scheduled to conclude the preliminary stage from October 23 to 25,  2026. Aggregate winners from the second preliminary round will subsequently progress to the lucrative group phase, which is set to begin in late November 2026.