Zimbabwe's 2023 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Champions. Born from the mining heartland of Mhondoro Ngezi, playing with pride, purpose, and the backing of an entire community.
From the mine to the top of Zimbabwean football.
Ngezi Platinum Stars FC was born in 2001 from the mining communities of Mhondoro Ngezi, beginning as informal social football before growing into one of Zimbabwe's most celebrated football clubs. What started as Ngezi Sporto FC — a modest team organised around the local mine operations — has become a source of immense pride for an entire region.
The club entered competitive football in 2004 and spent over a decade climbing the divisions before earning promotion to the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League in 2016 — the same year they lifted the Cup of Zimbabwe and the Chibuku Super Cup. In 2023, they completed the journey, winning the Castle Lager PSL title for the first time, becoming the first team outside Harare and Bulawayo to be crowned champions of Zimbabwe.
Proudly sponsored by Glenrise Investments, Ngezi Platinum Stars represents more than a football club — it is a community institution, an employer, and a platform that amplifies the voice of Mhondoro Ngezi on the national and continental stage.
Three major trophies, four cup final appearances, and a historic league title that put Ngezi on the map of African football.
First-ever league title, secured with a last-minute winner against Simba Bhora at Baobab Stadium. The first champions ever crowned outside Zimbabwe's two major cities.
Won in their debut PSL season with a dominant 3–1 victory over FC Platinum in the final. A statement arrival on Zimbabwe's top-flight stage.
Won the prestigious Chibuku Super Cup in the same season as their PSL promotion — making 2016 an historic double-trophy year for the club.
The club begins as informal social football in the mining community of Mhondoro Ngezi, supported by MCC (Open Cast Contractor). A community kickabout that carries the seeds of something much larger.
Players were drawn entirely from the local mine workforce and surrounding township — men who worked the earth by day and played football in the evenings. There was no stadium, no kit sponsorship, only the game itself.
The community spirit that defined those early days never left the club. It became the foundation on which everything — the trophies, the titles, the continental campaigns — was later built.
The club enters organised competition, joining the ZIFA Mashonaland West Division 2B. Foundations of a structured programme are laid, with a focus on developing local talent from the Ngezi region.
A coaching structure is put in place for the first time, and the club begins the slow, deliberate climb through Zimbabwe's football pyramid. Results are modest, but the culture of discipline and commitment is established.
These were the learning years — building the habits, the tactics, and the team identity that would eventually carry them all the way to the top of Zimbabwean football.
Under coach Clifton Kadurira, the club wins the Northern Region Division 1 championship — earning promotion to the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League for the very first time.
It is a landmark moment that validates over a decade of patient development. The Ngezi region celebrates as one of its own reaches the pinnacle of domestic football competition.
The squad is immediately strengthened in preparation for the step up. The club, its staff, and its community all understand that the real test is still ahead — and they ready themselves for it.
In their first-ever PSL season, Ngezi Platinum Stars win both the Cup of Zimbabwe (3–1 vs FC Platinum) and the Chibuku Super Cup — a historic double in a debut campaign that stunned Zimbabwean football.
Coach Tonderai Ndiraya guides the team to a seventh-place finish in the league — a remarkable result for a newly promoted side competing against established Harare and Bulawayo clubs.
The two trophies sent a clear message: Ngezi were not merely making up the numbers. They had arrived, and they intended to stay.
Ngezi Platinum Stars step onto the African stage for the first time, entering the CAF Confederation Cup. The club represents Zimbabwe with pride, competing against opponents from across the continent.
The continental experience proves invaluable — players and coaching staff gain exposure to different styles of play, higher tactical demands, and the pressure of high-stakes away fixtures.
The club's reputation begins to extend beyond Zimbabwe's borders. Scouts, fans, and football administrators across southern Africa take note of the quiet giant from Mhondoro Ngezi.
A near-title campaign ends as runners-up in the Premier Soccer League — further proof that Ngezi Platinum Stars had become genuine, consistent title contenders rather than a one-season wonder.
The season showcases an increasingly cohesive and tactically mature side. The gap between Ngezi and Zimbabwe's traditional footballing powerhouses continues to close with every passing month.
The runners-up finish sharpens the hunger. The club and its supporters know the league title is within reach — it is now a question of when, not if.
The historic moment arrives. Ngezi Platinum Stars win the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League for the first time — secured with a last-minute winner by Takunda Benhura against Simba Bhora at Baobab Stadium.
They become the first champions ever crowned from outside Harare and Bulawayo in the history of Zimbabwean top-flight football. The achievement resonates far beyond sport — it is a triumph for an entire community.
The title also earns qualification for the CAF Champions League, placing Ngezi among Africa's elite club competitions for the 2024 season. From a mine-town kickabout to continental football in twenty-two years.
Named for the iconic baobab trees of the Ngezi region, Baobab Stadium is the spiritual home of Ngezi Platinum Stars — a recently refurbished ground that has hosted historic moments including the 2023 championship-winning match.
More than a club — a beacon of hope for Mhondoro Ngezi.
Ngezi Platinum Stars has always been rooted in the people of Turf Township. The club's employment policy prioritises the local community — every member of staff is drawn from the Mhondoro Ngezi area, ensuring that the economic value of the club flows directly into the homes and families it represents.
The club is committed to gender equality and inclusive opportunity, with women making up 50% of all staff. In a traditionally male-dominated industry, Ngezi Platinum Stars leads by example — demonstrating that excellence on the pitch and progressive values off it are not in conflict, but in lockstep.
Both Glenrise Investments and Ngezi Platinum Stars call the same community home — 885 Turf Township, Mhondoro Ngezi. The sponsorship is not a branding exercise; it is a commitment rooted in geography, shared values, and a belief that the success of the club is inseparable from the success of the community.
Glenrise supports Ngezi Platinum Stars as part of a broader commitment to community investment — the same values of care, local empowerment, and long-term thinking that underpin every business decision the group makes.
"We are champions even in football."
— Glenrise Investments
885 Turf Township, Mhondoro Ngezi — home to both Glenrise Investments and Ngezi Platinum Stars FC.
Innovation, Service Excellence, and Care — the same three pillars that guide Glenrise's business guide Ngezi Platinum Stars' community work.
As Ngezi grows as a club, Glenrise grows as a group — the fortunes of both are tied to the prosperity of the Mhondoro Ngezi community.
