dyton mupawaenda
Eddie Chikamhi-Senior Sports Reporter
FINANCE minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube says the National Sports Stadium will be ready for international matches by March next year well ahead of the Warriors’ resumption of 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers.
Zimbabwe currently does not have a CAF-approved stadium for international matches and this forced Zifa to host Nigeria in Rwanda last month when the World Cup qualifying campaign got underway.
Speaking in parliament on Thursday during debate on the proposed 2024 national budget, Professor Ncube said the facility should be ready by March next year after entering into an agreement with a private sector investor.
The stadium is currently undergoing renovations to satisfy recommendations by the Confederation of African Football inspectors.
In the proposed budget, government recently allocated $136.2 billion for the construction and rehabilitation of sporting facilities, including the National Sports Stadium.
Addressing parliamentarians during a budget debate on Thursday night, Minister Ncube said Government had entered into a partnership with some private players to expedite the works currently taking place at the venue.
“Looking at Sport, Arts and Recreation, there is the issue of the stadium refurbishment, the Chair raised this. On that one, let me say it was not in the budget.
“We have actually struck an arrangement with a private sector investor who is going to help refurbish the National Sports Stadium.
“Government is also chipping in with its budget and we expect that in the next three months, everything will change. We are acting on it,” said Professor Ncube.
The next qualifying matches will be in June next year. But in-between, there is also a FIFA international friendly window set for March 2024. The ZIFA Normalisation Committee could decide to use the opportunity to prepare the Warriors for their next Group C match against Lesotho.
After the experience of playing the World Cup home game against Nigeria in Rwanda did not go down well with many local football fanatics, there has been renewed enthusiasm in getting the National Sports Stadium in good standing ahead of the next inspection visit by CAF.
Government is working round the clock to ensure the ground is renovated to meet international standards as required by the continent’s football governing body, the Confederation of African Football, and FIFA.
When the giant facility was banned by CAF, the inspectors pointed out a catalogue of areas that needed to be addressed before international matches could be played again at the venue.
The continental football controlling body wants the stadium fitted with individual bucket seats made of an unbreakable and non-flammable material; modern electronic turnstiles and automated systems and the setting up of a functional Venue Operations Centre with a good overview of the stadium equipped with CCTV monitors for security purposes.
CAF also recommended the refurbishment of changing rooms and the renovation of B Arena in line with CAF Training field infrastructure requirements.
Local stadium authorities have since begun the renovations. There had been considerable progress made, with the sprucing up of the playing field, the revamping of the changing rooms and other internal refurbishments.
Many of the local stadiums are currently in bad shape and in need of urgent attention. Rufaro Stadium and Gwanzura, which fall under direct custody of the Harare City Council, have been out of use for more than five years due to lack of maintenance.
Online Reporter