FIFA has formally removed its ban on the Zimbabwe Football Association ZIFA, after 18 months allowing the nation to compete in the African World Cup qualifying tournament.

Officials officially endorsed the choice on Monday, only days before the qualifying draw.

An interim normalization committee has been created to oversee ZIFA until new management elections are held to maintain smooth operations during the transitional phase.

In February 2022, Zimbabwe was in danger of being expelled from the international governing body because of purported intervention by the government in the running of the struggling football organization.

The executive committee of ZIFA was disbanded in November 2021 by the nation’s Sports and Recreation Commission, a government-appointed agency, in response to claims of mismanagement of funds intended for Zimbabwe’s participation in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations finals.

The Zimbabwe Football Association’s suspension was lifted and a normalization committee was appointed, according to a statement from FIFA’s Bureau of the Council, which read: “The Bureau of the FIFA Council decided to lift the suspension that was imposed on the Zimbabwe Football Association in February 2022 and appoint a normalization committee with immediate effect.”

Reviewing the ZIFA Statutes and Electoral Code to make sure they adhere to FIFA rules and supporting their adoption during the ZIFA Congress are the committee’s main duties.

The normalization panel, led by regional administrator Lincoln Mutasa, has been given until June 2024 to complete its work. This important step enables Zimbabwe to take part in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers, with the draw expected to occur this Thursday during the CAF Congress in Abidjan.

The nation will resume playing competitive international football when the first round of games begins in November.