Zimbabwe’s hopes of hosting international football matches remain in doubt as government officials cannot confirm when renovations at the National Sports Stadium will be completed.
The country has been forced to play its home matches abroad since 2021, when the Confederation of African Football (CAF) banned the stadium for failing to meet international standards.
“I cannot give a specific timeline,” Deputy Sports Minister Emily Jesaya told Parliament, admitting that “some factors are beyond our control.”
The admission deals a blow to fans hoping to watch the Warriors’ World Cup qualifiers at home next year, with the campaign set to resume in March.
Only half of the required 60,000 bucket seats have arrived in the region, with the first batch still stuck in neighbouring Mozambique. The stadium also needs electronic turnstiles and CCTV cameras to meet CAF requirements.
Sports Minister Kirsty Coventry had previously promised the renovations would be completed before the end of 2024.
The National Sports Stadium is Zimbabwe’s best hope for international football, requiring the least improvements among the country’s venues for CAF approval.
Zimbabwe recently completed their Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers playing in foreign venues, and face a race against time to avoid the same fate for their World Cup campaign.
“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 added.
But with no firm completion date and crucial equipment still in transit, Zimbabwean football fans may have to wait even longer to see their team play on home soil.
