Zimbabwean football fans face an extended wait to watch international matches on home soil as delays continue in the renovation of the National Sports Stadium.
The stadium, condemned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in 2021 for failing to meet international standards, has seen the national teams forced to host matches abroad. While the government has been refurbishing the facility throughout 2024, progress has been slow despite assurances from Sports Minister Kirsty Coventry that renovations would be completed by year-end.
Deputy Minister of Sports Emily Jesaya, responding to questions in Parliament, was unable to provide a concrete timeline for the project’s completion.
“I want to thank the Hon. Member for that pertinent question. We desire that the good job of renovating the National Sports Stadium should be done as soon as possible so that we can go and support our national Warriors playing locally,” Jesaya said. “I cannot give a specific timeline for when the project will be completed because some factors are beyond our control, but the job will be done.”
The National Sports Stadium is the only facility in the country requiring minimal upgrades to meet CAF standards. Key areas needing improvement include the installation of bucket seats, electronic turnstiles, and CCTV cameras.
However, progress has been sluggish. Jesaya revealed that the first batch of 30,000 bucket seats, part of a 60,000-seat order, remains stuck in Mozambique.
“The 30,000 seats that I alluded to as the first consignment of the bucket seats … have been paid for, and the rest are coming,” she said.
With the national men’s team, the Warriors, having completed their Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers abroad, fans had hoped to see the team’s World Cup qualifying campaign hosted locally next year. The government has until March 2025 to complete the renovations, the deadline set before the Warriors resume their qualification journey.
Failure to meet the deadline would be a significant setback for Zimbabwean football, prolonging the national teams’ exile and denying fans the opportunity to rally behind their team on home ground.