More teams, less stadiums

Raymond Jaravaza
BULAWAYO-based Premier Soccer League clubs find themselves in a predicament with the number of teams in the city outnumbering available stadiums that are deemed suitable for topflight football.

The city will have six teams playing in the 2017 Premier Soccer League season.

Bantu Rovers joins giants Highlanders, 2015 champions Chicken Inn, How Mine, Bulawayo City FC and Tsholotsho FC.

Bosso and Bulawayo City use Barbourfields Stadium while How Mine and Chicken Inn have always registered Luveve Stadium as their preferred home ground.

PSL returnees Bantu Rovers say Luveve Stadium is also their preferred home ground, a situation that will mean the stadium might host home matches for three clubs.

a�?We have always used Luveve Stadium for our home matches and the same goes for the new season. Our alternative home ground will be Barbourfields,a�? said Bantu Rovers general manager Wilbert Sibanda.

Tsholotsho FC chairman Mlamuli Phiri, while ,quashing rumours that the team would be moving out of Bulawayo said they would also register Luveve Stadium as their preferred home ground.

a�?Our first preference has always been Luveve and we will use it again this new season. Last year we ended up using White City for some of our matches but later abandoned it because the pitch is bumpy and our players were finding it difficult to play there. And for the record, we are not relocating out of Bulawayo,a�? said Phiri.

While rugby stadium Hartsfield Rugby Ground had been touted as another suitable venue the Bulawayo City Council has made it clear that no PSL matches will be played there.

The Zifa grounds committee will soon descend on stadiums across the country to check if they are ready to host Premiership games this coming season. Stadiums that are deemed sub standard are subsequently condemned and banned as was the case with Dulivhadzimu Stadium last year.

The Beitbridge stadium was only given the green light to host Border Strikers home matches after the necessary renovations that were recommended by the Zifa grounds committee were carried out.

a�?Our team will be moving around the city inspecting stadiums but the exact dates will be announced in due course,a�? said Zifa spokesman Xolisani Gwesela. . .