Confederation Of African Football (CAF) has warned ZIFA president and COSAFA Chairman Philip Chiyangwa to respect the authority of CAF and not conduct in any activities to undermine the common objectives of the confederation.

Chiyangwa is due to host a meeting of association presidents from the COSAFA region and elsewhere in Africa on February 24 but this has rilled the CAF corridors of power with the association sending a chilling warning letter to Chiyangwa.

“The CAF leadership would like to remind you that you do not have any authority to convene such a meeting without CAF knowledge,’’ reads part of the letter signed by CAF Secretary General Hicham El Amrani.

The CAF Secretary General further quoted article 2.3 from the CAF statutes to further buttress the confederation’s position.

“Any person or organization involved in football in Africa has to respect at all times and unreservedly the principles of ethics and fair play enacted by CAF, the principles of integrity and sportsmanship as well as the statutes, regulations, decisions and directives of the confederation of CAF and FIFA.”

Chiyangwa and his COSAFA counterparts unanimously endorsed head of Madagascar's FA Ahmad Ahmad to challenge Issa Hayatou for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) presidency at the upcoming elections and this seems to have ruffled some feathers at CAF.

In a statement, COSAFA also announced they would only support sitting FA presidents vying for CAF or FIFA elections.

"This was our first meeting since the new executive was voted into office and we are happy with the resolutions taken by the Council which I think will change the face of the region," said Cosafa President, Dr Phillip Chiyangwa.

Hayatou, who has presided over African football since 1988, is seeking an eighth term.

Chiyangwa who is regarded as a blue–eyed boy for FIFA president Gianni Infantino, recently slammed president of the Football Federation of Guinea-Bissau Opes Manuel Nascimento who had accused the FIFA president of dividing Africa in an interview in Gabon.

Nascimento is a strong allay of Hayatou after he publicly voiced his support of the African football leader. 

The Guinea-Bissau FA president said it is unfortunate that some African football leaders have accepted to be used by Infantino to decide the fate of football leadership in Africa.

“I will vote for Issa Hayatou during the CAF elections on March 16th in Addis Ababa because he is the best for African football,” Manuel was quoted as saying.

Chiyangwa however condemned Mr. Manuel’s sentiments in a press release:

“I listened to an Interview by Mr. Nascimento, President of Guinea-Bissau Football Association where he threw decorum, caution, and dignity into the air by not only casting aspersions but directly throwing tantrums on the personality of the symbol of global football, Mr. Gianni Infantino the President of FIFA.

“His action is not only regrettable but outrightly condemnable. Indeed, majority of various Federations in Africa hold a radically contrary view and I constrained to respond on their behalf,” said Philip Chiyangwa.

The ZIFA President also did not attend the Total Africa Cup Of Nations Gabon 2017 where other football association heads from Africa were prompting the CAF leadership to question his antics.