Walter Musona among latest Zimbabwe players dropped for AFCON 2025

Zimbawe national team has dropped three players from their preliminary squad for the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

According to a statement from Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA), Scotland FC captain Walter Musona, Dynamos captain Emmanuel Jalai and Simba Bhora’s Junior Makunike have all sustained injuries and have consequently withdrawn from the national team camp.

The trio join Tymon Machope, Xolani Ndlovu and Andrew Mbeba, who were also released earlier due to similar reasons.

The statement from ZIFA confirmed:

ZIFA would like to clarify the situation regarding players carrying injuries in camp.

1. Walter Musona: He injured his hamstring vs Algeria in Saudi Arabia and did not train ahead of the Qatar match due to pain. He was instructed to bring an ultrasound scan before camp but did not submit it. On Day 1 of the local camp, he was taken for an MRI scan. Official results are pending. Once cleared, he will rejoin the squad.

2. Emmanuel Jalai: He picked up a contusion injury on his right thigh in the match against Triangle. He was released for physiotherapy and will return to camp on Thursday for further assessment by team doctors.

3. Tymone Machope: He reported for camp already nursing an injury and was released after the medical team assessed him and realized he would not make it for AFCON.

4. Junior Makunike: He also arrived carrying an injury and was released after the medical team assessed him and realized that he would not make it for AFCON.

5. Xolani Ndlovu: He sustained an injury on the first day of training and requested to be released to recover.

6. Andrew Mbeba: He sustained an injury in a match against green fuel. The player has had right knee problem which he had not fully recovered from. The medical team recommended a physiotherapy protocol but assessments revealed he would not be available for AFCON.

Medical Protocol:

Several players were asked to bring their injury radiological investigations, and most complied. The medical team continues to assess every player to ensure fitness for national DUTY.

GPS data also confirmed all this during training.

Because of these injury developments, the technical team will broaden its pool, and some players who were not on the original 55-man list will be added as preparations for AFCON intensify.

ZIFA remains committed to transparency and top-level player welfare.

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