Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
AFTER being exiled for the past five years, the Warriors could finally get to play on home soil following tremendous progress in the refurbishment of their favourite hunting ground — the National Sports Stadium in Harare.
The senior national football side have been hosting their opponents outside the country after all the stadiums in Zimbabwe failed to meet the minimum Confederation of African Football requirements four years ago.
The Government took it upon themselves to upgrade the National Sports Stadium which has now been installed with bucket seats, electronic turnstiles, modern dressing rooms, medical rooms, surveillance cameras and new turf with better drainage.
Among their concerns, CAF also highlighted the need to have a proper media tribune, media centre and disability centre at the facility.
Yesterday officials from the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture joined the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Sport and Recreation on their review visit on the refurbishment being undertaken at the stadium.
The Government officials led by the Sport, Recreations, Arts and Culture permanent secretary Nicholas Moyo and the portfolio committee chaired by Farai Jere were all convinced that the Warriors can host matches at the arena starting with the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, which begin in September.
The stadium authorities are planning to invite CAF inspectors for another round of inspection in July.
But before that there are plans for a phased re-opening of the stadium to local Premiership football.
Moyo told the touring parties, who included local media that the stadium will tentatively open its doors to local matches on May 25, with polishing-up work expected to continue until July, when authorities will then invite the CAF crew.
“We are happy to inform the nation that the developments at the National Sports Stadium are now at the level of starting to organise our first match.
“The target which we were given was to finish at the end of April and ensure that in May, we have our first match. And I’m happy to say we are ready for the first match.
“We may not be at a level where all the facilities at the National Sports Stadium are at 100 percent functionality, but we’ll be able to host a match that can accommodate about 20 000 people when we do that this May,” said Moyo.
“You can see the pitch, you see the water reticulation, you can see the sprinklers that are actually working. We have toured, we have seen the changing rooms.
“The contractor is confident that in the next two or so weeks, the changing rooms will be done. The toilets in the next three weeks will be done. And those things are critical to ensure that there is sufficient ablution for the public and also that the changing rooms, we have enough and up to standard for our players, for our teams that will be coming to play to have a good match on the first match. Most likely, we’re talking with the chair and saying our plan, all things being equal, is to ensure that we have our first match on Africa Day.”
Portfolio Committee chairman Jere, who is also the president of Premier Soccer League giants CAPS United said:
“We are very excited, and we are very grateful to the Government of Zimbabwe with the way things are happening here.
“This property has not actually been brought to the CAF requirements but it has been modernised, I think you have seen some of the things in the dressing rooms; it’s pressing the button and everything is working you just press the button you just bring your finger close to this button, and it’s flashing you can actually see it’s world-class. It has been modernised to a level that you cannot imagine.
“We are still going to keep on pushing the Ministry and everyone involved to make sure that we don’t relax, we don’t sit down and we fail to meet the target but by the 25th of May, we are going to have our first local match played here because all what was required for this May was for this stadium to meet the local standards. They have been met.”
One of the members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee Innocent Benza, the president of Premiership outfit Herentals hailed the progress at the facility. Benza, a forward who plays for Herentals is relishing the opportunity to feature for his side at the new-look stadium.
“I’m very excited. This is a testimony and a testament to the development of football in Zimbabwe. The readiness of the National Sports Stadium gives an opportunity to football teams, to Herentals particularly, because this is now our home ground,” said Benza.
“We are going to be back on home ground. We are happy that we are going to be playing again in Zimbabwe’s home of football, and the sprinklers there are a testimony and a testament that football is back at the National Sports Stadium.”
