Pacific Storm Eastern Region Soccer League kicked off its 2026 season in style on Saturday in Nyanga.
The event was held at the luxurious Montclair Hotel and Casino, as the who’s who of Eastern Region football gathered to celebrate a new chapter in the league’s evolution.
Chairman Wisdom Simba, Vice Chairman Gray Hama, representatives from all 20 teams, and title sponsors Pacific Storm lit up the room for a day that marked both a contract extension and a bold new approach.
“Today, the Pacific Storm Eastern Region Soccer League held a cocktail event to launch the 2026 season and sign a contract with our sponsor,” Simba said.
“This year, we decided to do things differently.
“As you may recall, last season we had a football match, but this time we chose to host a cocktail instead.”
The main business of the day was the draw for the first round of the prestigious Munhumutapa Cup, conducted by league chairperson Wisdom Simba.
The guest of honour, Honourable Kenneth Muchina, was on hand and took part in the proceedings.
The Munhumutapa Cup, spearheaded by President Emerson Mnangagwa, boasts a winner’s prize of one million dollars and sits at the centre of a sweeping five-million-dollar annual investment that has fired fans’ imaginations across the region.
The Eastern Region will provide four slots for the final round of 32.
Simba credited the Pacific Cigarette Company partnership, and specifically their brand The Storm, with transforming regional football.
“The arrival of Pacific Cigarette Company has brought a lot of excitement to the league and increased competition, as we saw last season,” Simba said.
“Looking ahead to 2026, I believe we are in for some fireworks with the addition of Greenfuel, Bikita Minerals, Yadah, and the new boys, AMV from Rusape.”
He issued a stern challenge to match officials, noting that the fiercer rivalry will demand top performance from referees.
“I am expecting very stiff competition, which will make things challenging in terms of management,” Simba said.
“When competition is intense, management issues are bound to arise. Still, I trust that the referees will do justice and let the best team win.”
Pacific Storm marketing manager Kudakwashe Chiutsi announced the contract extension into 2026, calling the partnership one of the company’s highest-priority investments.
“What we witnessed today was the official ceremony between Pacific Cigarette and the Eastern Region Soccer League.
“As a business, we have decided to continue sponsoring them and to ensure soccer is still upheld in the Eastern Region,” she said.
Chiutsi said the deal has delivered both brand growth and community benefits.
“We not only see brand visibility and brand growth, but also community impact. That speaks volumes about the values we stand for.
“We have challenged not only ourselves but also the community to bring forth as much as they can with the little we have given them, and they have shown us amazing results.”
He pointed to the league’s rapid expansion as proof of momentum.
“The Eastern Region was never like this, but it has grown. We have seen so many teams join this year as a testament to how the league is growing.
“We have also seen another team graduate to the Premier League, and we anticipate more growth.”
Chiutsi also praised Pacific Storm’s social responsibility work at Tongogara Refugee Camp, where the company is helping the community build its own stadium.
“We have covered a lot of ground, and soon they should be able to use their own ground,” Simba added.
Guest of honour Hon. Kenneth Muchina commended the initiative for offering young people constructive alternatives to substance abuse.
“This initiative gives kids something constructive to do,” Muchina said.
“As Pele once said, football is the greatest game of all time.
“It helps reduce drug abuse, which has become a problem in our community and across Zimbabwe.”
On the Munhumutapa Cup, Muchina thanked President Mnangagwa for his role.
“We also have the Munhumutapa Cup coming soon, already in place now,” Muchina said.
“We thank our president, a visionary leader, for bringing this to the general populace. It helps our kids by offering monetary rewards and incentives, and through sport, we can reduce, lessen, and even try to eradicate drug abuse.
“We say thank you to the president for such a great gesture.”
