The decision means that Zimbabwe will be allowed to take part in the African qualification tournament for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The suspension had been in force since February 2022, when the Zimbabwe Government's Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) suspended ZIFA because of financial irregularities and allegations of sexual harassment of female referees by technical staff.

FIFA’s statutes do not allow third party interference in the governance of a national football associations.

Zimbabwe were not permitted to to take part in the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the women's AFCON tournament.

FIFA has stipulated that the Normalisation Committee is to be appointed "with immediate effect" and is to run the daily affairs of ZIFA, restructure the organisation and review its statutes.

It is also to "establish, with the help of FIFA, a collaboration agreement between the Ministry of Sport, the SRC and ZIFA, which will define the responsibilities and objectives of each party, including but not exclusively, the topic of sexual harassment".

FIFA had previously banned former ZIFA secretary general Obert Zhoya who was found guilty of sexually harassing female officials.

The Committee is also to act as an electoral body to organise and conduct elections of a new ZIFA Board and is responsible for a "proper financial handover to the new ZIFA Board".

The Normalisation Committee members were announced by FIFA Head of Development in Africa Solomon Mudege.

"I want to assure Zimbabwe that you have the complete support of FIFA and of the Confederation of African Football in ensuring that Zimbabwean football reaches the heights we've all desired," Mudege said.

The Normalisation Committee is to be chaired by Lincoln Mutasa, former chairman of the Dynamos Football Club in Zimbabwe and includes Bulawayo City FC chief executive Sikhumbuzo Ndebele, former player and national team coach Rosemary Mgadzah, now coaching the Mighty Warriors and lawyer Nyasha Tashinga Sanyamandwe.

"I am highly inspired by the team that has been put together, because it has got a wealth of experience both in the men's game and in the women's game," Mutasa said.

"I feel confident that we will be able to work well together as a team."

FIFA has said that the Normalisation Committee is expected to complete its work by June 30 2024.

In April, Zimbabwe's Sports Minister and International Olympic Committee member Kirsty Coventry told the national parliament that the $2 million (£1.6 million/€1.8 million) paid to ZIFA before the 2019 AFCON was "never accounted for".

"I know many judged us very harshly for the decision we took, but the way in which our football was running was heavily dependent on what the administrators wanted and was only for their benefit," Coventry said this week.

"We have an opportunity to build and rebuild a solid foundation that sees all of the stakeholders thriving.

"It was hard, but it was worth it, to have a way forward that's going to benefit us as a country, 110% it was worth it."

Zimbabwe has never reached the FIFA World Cup finals but the women's team did qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

Coventry has also announced plans for the national stadium in Harare to be renovated to meet international standards.