Govt targets year end for Warriors’ home return amid stadium work progress
By Auther Chimbgwa
The Zimbabwe Senior National Football Team’s hopes of a return to home soil could become a reality sometime this year after a government minister told parliament this week that works on the banned National Sports Stadium were set to be complete before end of 2025.
Responding to a question by Manicaland Proportional Representation MP, Amanda Chakukura during the ministers’ question time on Wednesday, Sports, Arts, Recreation and Culture deputy minister Emily Jasaya said the government was aiming to finish ongoing works on the stadium in the third quarter of the year.
“As I speak, today (Wednesday) we have received Confederation of African Football (CAF) officials who have come into the country to do inspections of the bucket seats that have been installed and also guide us on the way forward,” she said.
“With regards to the football pitch, we are also at an advanced stage with the works that is ongoing. Like I have already indicated that we do have CAF officials who have come into the country to do inspections of the works that are ongoing.
“We are expecting to finish the National Sports Stadium in the third quarter of the year.”
According to media reports, CAF stadium Inspector and former head of professional football Mohammad Feizat Sidat is in the country to make some preliminary inspection and see if current renovations on the 60,000-seater sporting facility are being done in tandem with the international football administrator’s expectations.
The Mozambican national is set to judge first-hand the installation of bucket seats, electronic turntiles, modern dressing rooms, medical rooms and anti-doping rooms.
A full CAF inspection will, however, take place in July this year to assess if the stadium could be certified fit to resume hosting international fixtures.
Zimbabwe was in 2020 banned from hosting all international football matches on its soil because of substandard stadiums.
This came at a cost to the national teams, individual clubs and fans after their beloved teams have been forced to host their matches in countries such as South Africa, Uganda and Rwanda.
This includes the National Women’s Under-20 side which “hosted” Rwanda in Kigali in a World Cup qualifier on Wednesday with Zimbabwe later booted out on a 3-1 aggregate scoreline.
Meanwhile, asked if there was a corresponding plan to upgrade all other stadiums and grounds across the country, the deputy minister confirmed, adding that the government is going to rope in local authorities, which own some of the stadiums, to improve the facilities.
“The ministry is in touch with local authority officials so that we map a way forward, of working together to ensure that these stadiums are not only there to facilitate local matches but also get to a certain standard that is approved by CAF and international bodies for the different sports associations that are there,” Jasaya said.
