The National Sports Stadium has been granted Confederation of African Football (CAF) Category 3 approval following a recent technical inspection and significant progress on priority works.
The Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Anselem Sanyatwe, said on Friday, 21 August, that the approval allows the stadium — subject to the specific requirements of each competition — to host CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup group stage and quarter-final matches, as well as Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and FIFA World Cup qualifiers and other competitions covered under Category 3.
“CAF has acknowledged the considerable efforts made by the Government of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Football Association in addressing the observations raised during the inspection,” said Sanyatwe.
He also thanked Sakunda Holdings for its support towards the upgrading and modernisation of the National Sports Stadium.
“Through its partnership with Government, Sakunda Holdings has played a significant role in the modernisation of the stadium pitch and the installation of bucket seats, interventions which have substantially enhanced the functionality, aesthetics and overall spectator experience at the national facility,” Sanyatwe said.
The last senior international played in Zimbabwe was the Warriors’ 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Ethiopia on 14 November 2021.
The country has since been unable to stage senior internationals at home, with the Warriors playing their “home” fixtures in South Africa and other countries.
Zimbabwe are now preparing to host their 2027 AFCON qualifiers on home soil, with the group-stage campaign set to begin during the September/October FIFA window.
The approval also means reigning Premier Soccer League champions Scottland will be able to play their CAF Champions League home games at home up to the quarter-finals.
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