No, you're not misreading it, this is the story of Scottland in Zimbabwe, and how they are beginning to dominate African football.

Scottish football is used to some pretty wild stories. In recent years, we have seen St Johnstone win a cup double. Falkirk gaining back-to-back promotions to the Premiership, and the league is becoming increasingly competitive with every passing season. This all doesn’t quite compare to the completely bewildering events unfolding in Zimbabwe for the new champions, Scottland FC.

Foundation and History

The question on most of your minds is probably why they are called Scottland F.C., and no, unfortunately, it isn’t a supporters group in Africa gone rogue. It is actually because their owner is called Pedzisayi Sakupwanya, but he actually goes by Scott Sakupwanya.

Scott is a Zimbabwean member of parliament for the Mabvuku-Tafara constituency, where he strives to improve the livelihood and standard of living in the Harare region of Zimbabwe. His wealth stems from owning a gold-mining company, and he has established a free medical maternity institution for pregnant women and patients in the Mabvuku region.

Back to Scottland F.C. The club was only founded in 2023 and has quickly risen to the top, but how did they do this?

First Season

Scottland FC were placed in the Northern Region Soccer League, the second-highest tier in Zimbabwean club football. They wound up finishing in top spot on eighty-four points, two points ahead of MWOS FC after winning their last five games in their inaugural season. There are four regions that compete within the second tier, the winners of each region automatically gain promotion.

After the normal season is finished, the four regions play in a cup competition called the Champion of Champions Cup. Scottland FC faced off against Southern Region winners, ZPC Hwange, a match that went to penalties, but ultimately Scottland lost out 4-3. In typical Scottish fashion. ZPC Hwange were the eventual winners of the trophy, and Scottland lost the third-place playoff to Kwekwe United 3-1.

Interestingly enough, in Zimbabwe, the drama never ends as ZPC Hwange, who won the entire second division, actually sold their promoted place to MWOS FC and remained in the second division with the decision being labelled ‘a strategic partnership.’

Second Season

After promotion in their first ever season as a club, all eyes were on Scottland to see what they could pull off in their maiden season in the Premier Soccer League.

Before the start of the season, owner Sakupwanya used his connections and project to secure close to 50 million Zimbabwean dollars in sponsorship, which roughly equates to just under 2 million pounds. Close to Livingston’s annual budget. This amount of money made them the wealthiest club in the country of Zimbabwe, and they used this money wisely.

As the new season rolled in, the two new highest earners in the league both played for Scottland. Khama Billiat and Walter Musona. The former impressed in a pre-season friendly against Manchester United back in 2012, whilst at Ajax Cape Town, where Rio Ferdinand dubbed him an exciting technical talent.

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The latter is a two-time winner of the Soccer Star of the Year award. Winning the award in 2022 and 2024. An award presented to the best player in Zimbabwean football. Walter Musona was also contracted to the previous season's champions, Simba Bhora, before making the switch to Scottland.

Scottland started well, winning their first two games 1-0 and 2-0 against Triangle United and CAPS United. They then stumbled to defeat against Ngezi Platinum, and then only won one of their next five games

It would be a story of a late-season charge for Scottland. This was partly down to the big-name signing they made. Belgian football fans might recognise the name, Knowledge Musona. The brother of previously signed Walter, Knowledge signed as one of the biggest pedigree names in Zimbabwean football. Previously captain of the Zimbabwe national team, where he made 52 senior appearances, scoring 25 goals and being regarded as one of the finest strikers to come out of Zimbabwe. Spending the last few seasons in Saudi Arabia, but before his journey in the Middle East, he amassed close to 150 appearances in Belgium and Germany, playing for the likes of Hoffenheim, Augsburg and RSC Anderlecht.

After his signing in late July, Scottland would win five straight games after winning the three prior and had themselves sitting nicely near the top of the table whilst also advancing through to the quarter finals of the Chibuku Super Cup, the top domestic cup in Zimbabwe football.

Unfortunately, a penalty loss to a similar Scottish-sounding name, Highlanders FC, would spell the end of a cup run for the top-flight debutants. Then five out of six league wins in the run-in would deliver top-flight glory for Scottland, who, funnily enough, once again beat MWOS to the title, this time by a more sizable seven-point gap.

Scottland became the first debutant winners in the Zimbabwe Premier League since 1984 when Black Rhinos had a similar rise. This achievement was deemed impossible and improbable by multiple Zimbabwean reporters. So what comes next for the next African powerhouse?

The Future

It doesn’t seem like Scottland could have a more exciting season next year, but with winning the league comes their debut in the CAF Champions League. Scottland will enter into the first qualifying round. No Zimbabwean club has reached the group stages since FC Platinum in 2020, and no team has reached the final since 1998, when Dynamos lost out to ASEC Mimosas 4-2 on aggregate.

Zimbabwe football clubs have struggled in qualifying rounds in recent years, and their calendar does not help that fact. They currently play a February-November calendar, meaning players are tired come the start of the qualifying rounds. This could all change as ZIFA (Zimbabwe Football Association) has opted to increase the league from 18 - 20 teams and is looking to realign their calendar into an August - May season to match most of FIFA’s confederations.

This is big news because in the last campaign, Simba Bhora lost to the Eswatini side Nsingizini Hotspurs on penalties. A tie that most Zimbabwe teams would hope to win. Scottland, with its riches and pedigree, will have all focus on this competition as they fight to make even more history and continue this seemingly unstoppable rise through African football.

Through all of this success and rise, the big thing for Scottland is they haven’t lost sight of the club they want to be. Their love for the surrounding communities is palpable and has become a huge part in increasing the health of the people in Harare. They are doing more for women’s football in Zimbabwe and hosting training sessions and fun activities for people of all ages and backgrounds.

So, for Scottish football fans, maybe think about adopting Scottland FC as a second club, like a cousin you don’t really talk to but every so often someone mentions their name, and you ask how they are doing. Football always has drama, in every nation and corner of the earth, and it just so happens that the drama in Zimbabwe revolves around a club called Scottland FC.

Written and Researched by Cal Bain

https://cbsports.substack.com/

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