Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
FOLLOWING yet another spirited effort by ZIFA to have the country’s stadiums improved and homologated by the Confederation of African Football, the continental body last night dispatched an inspection team to assess four venues for possible certification.
Rwandan Aloys Mpambara arrived in the country last night to begin an inspection tour of the National Sports Stadium, Barbourfields, Ngoni in Norton and Chahwanda in Kwekwe.
Although ZIFA are aware that getting local facilities certified to host major continental competitions like the Africa Cup of Nations, WAFCON and CAF Under-20 tournaments is still a long shot, the association has been pushing to at least secure some homologation of the four stadiums for qualifiers for the Warriors, Mighty Warriors and junior national teams.
ZIFA are also keen to see Premier Soccer League champions Scottland and Chibuku Super Cup kings Dynamos being allowed to play their CAF inter-club preliminary round assignments on home soil.
Reigning Castle Lager Premiership champions Scottland will take their bow in the CAF Champions League in which they will have to start at the first preliminary stage.
Dynamos on their part will be returning to the CAF Confederation Cup arena following yet another Chibuku Super Cup triumph.
However, none of the teams have venue that is certified by CAF even to stage the first preliminary round, a scenario that has been worrying both ZIFA and the Government.
It also emerged that ZIFA president Nqobile Magwizi and the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Sport, Recreation Arts and Culture Nicholas Moyo also took a giant step in lobbying for a review of the country’s stadiums by CAF.
Sources close to the goings-on at ZIFA told Zimpapers Sports Hub last night that: “A Confederation of African Football Stadium Inspection Delegation is in Zimbabwe to conduct official inspections of selected stadiums across the country and the inspections follow a successful engagement visit to the CAF Headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, undertaken by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Mr Nicholas Moyo, together with ZIFA President Nqobile Magwizi.
“During that visit, Zimbabwe formally lobbied for the inspection process as part of ongoing efforts to restore the country’s capacity to host international football,’’ the sources said.
Mpambara will have little time to relax as he is this morning, expected to head to Bulawayo to begin his mission with an assessment of Barbourfields.
He will then head to the newly built and magnificently looking Chahwanda The Heart in Kwekwe.
The CAF inspectors who are set to be accompanied by ZIFA Club Licensing manager Simba Gochera and the First Instance Board’s vice-chairman Xolisani Gwesela will proceed to Norton to have a look at MWOS fortress Ngoni before winding their inspection with the National Sports Stadium on Tuesday.
“At the National Sports Stadium, the delegation will meet with Permanent Secretary Nicholas Moyo to review preliminary findings,’’ added the sources.
It expected that a much-anticipated home of football – the National Sports Stadium – will be issued at the end of the CAF team’s meeting with Moyo.
ZIFA on their part are praying that the giant facility passes the test to allow the Warriors to play their 2027 Nations Cup qualifiers at home when the qualification marathon begins in September.
