Developing intervention strategies to enhance financial sustainability and resilience of Kwekwe United FC.

Abstract

This qualitative case study investigated the financial sustainability challenges facing Kwekwe United Football Club and developed context-specific propositions requiring longitudinal evaluation to improve the club's financial sustainability and resilience. The study was motivated by the club's disastrous 2025 Premier Soccer League season, characterized by unpaid salaries, player strikes, fixture forfeiture, and relegation. Data was collected through 19 semi structured interviews from 19 April up to 31 May 2026 with club leadership, technical staff, players, sponsors, and external stakeholders, plus one focus group with 4 supporters. Document analysis of one media report titled “Nightmare continues for Kwekwe United players, coaches” (Nyakwenda, The Herald, 11, December 2025) was analyzed using Nvivo and supported primary data. Thematic analysis based on participant reviews done using NVivo 15 revealed that Kwekwe United operates in a state of acute financial fragility, relying on a single unpredictable sponsor, with no financial reserves, no formal procurement systems, and governance concentrated in a single family that prohibits financial reform according to stakeholder’s perceptions. Participants identified seven interconnected barriers to financial sustainability: institutional weaknesses, lack of revenue diversification, absence of partnerships, poor fan turnout, governance deficits, poor financial policies, and economic instability. Participants proposed interventions that centered on grassroots development, revenue diversification across four locally achievable domains (match-day income, merchandising, corporate partnerships, and player development) supporter led financing with monthly membership fees, financial literacy training, and independent audits as implementation and monitoring tools. The study proposed that financial sustainability at Kwekwe United may require phased governance reform as the foundation, followed by revenue diversification and professionalization of financial management.