The Zimbabwean national team is set to appoint Chris Houghton as the new coach after a thorough search. The Warriors have been without a permanent
The Zimbabwean national team is set to appoint Chris Houghton as the new coach after a thorough search.
The Warriors have been without a permanent head coach since German coach Michael Nees was dismissed in October 2025.
Michael Nees, 58, was sacked in October after a poor run of results. Zimbabwe finished bottom of Group C in the qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where they won zero, drew five and lost five in the 10 games played. Nees was appointed in July 2024 and won a slot in the 2025 AFCON, but the Zimbabwean Football Association thinks expectations have not been met.
Chris Houghton, the leading candidate for the role
Veteran head coach Chris Houghton, 66, has been earmarked by the Zimbabwean Football Association as the right man to succeed Nees. Houghton has a rich resume where he has managed Premier League clubs like Newcastle United, Birmingham City, Brighton & Hove Albion, Norwich City and Nottingham Forest.
In terms of international football, Houghton was the man in charge of Ghana during the 2023 AFCON in the Ivory Coast, where the Black Stars did not win any game and subsequently exited the group stage.
Zimbabwe’s recent results
The Warriors have declined to the extent that they are now at the same level as minnows like Djibouti, South Sudan, Eswatini, Seychelles, Somalia and Chad. All these teams finished bottom of their groups in the World Cup qualifiers as they did not win a single game.
The Zimbabwean national team have failed to win any of their last 7 games, with Chris Houghton expected to turn the tide if the team before the AFCON in Morocco.
Houghton will be tasked to help the team qualify for the knockout stage of the 2025 AFCON and also qualify the Warriors for the 2027 AFCON to be played in East Africa.
Zimbabwe will play against Egypt, Angola and South Africa in Group B of the imminent Africa Cup of Nations.
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