News / National
Rufaro Stadium eyes return in time for 2024 season
11 Jan 2024 at 05:18hrs | Views
HARARE City Council (HCC) is optimistic about the return of football to Rufaro Stadium, with signs indicating that the iconic football venue will be prepared to host Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) matches in the upcoming season.
Rufaro Stadium has undergone renovations since the previous year, aimed at revitalizing the neglected football facility. The closure of Rufaro, which last saw top-flight football in 2019, has resulted in a stadium dilemma in Harare, compelling all teams to utilize the National Sports Stadium.
On Wednesday, Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume convened with the committee responsible for overseeing the stadium renovations in anticipation of the upcoming PSL season, scheduled to commence next month.
In an official statement, Mafume urged the committee to expedite the renovation process, as a Mayor's Cup match between Dynamos and CAPS United is set to mark the official reopening of the stadium.
"Mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume held a meeting today with the committee overseeing the renovations at Rufaro Stadium. The purpose of the meeting was to assess the current status of the stadium and identify necessary actions before the commencement of the Castle Premier League season next month.
"The mayor encouraged the engineers to hasten the renovation process so that the stadium will be prepared to host the proposed Mayor's Challenge Cup match between the fierce city rivals Dynamos and CAPS United," stated the City of Harare.
Notably, the City council failed to meet several deadlines for completing the renovations last year. The outstanding tasks for Rufaro included the installation of electronic turnstiles, along with the refurbishment of one dressing room and a media area.
Approval from the Zimbabwe Football Association's (ZIFA) First Instance Board is required for Rufaro Stadium to be officially sanctioned to host matches.
Rufaro Stadium has undergone renovations since the previous year, aimed at revitalizing the neglected football facility. The closure of Rufaro, which last saw top-flight football in 2019, has resulted in a stadium dilemma in Harare, compelling all teams to utilize the National Sports Stadium.
On Wednesday, Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume convened with the committee responsible for overseeing the stadium renovations in anticipation of the upcoming PSL season, scheduled to commence next month.
In an official statement, Mafume urged the committee to expedite the renovation process, as a Mayor's Cup match between Dynamos and CAPS United is set to mark the official reopening of the stadium.
"The mayor encouraged the engineers to hasten the renovation process so that the stadium will be prepared to host the proposed Mayor's Challenge Cup match between the fierce city rivals Dynamos and CAPS United," stated the City of Harare.
Notably, the City council failed to meet several deadlines for completing the renovations last year. The outstanding tasks for Rufaro included the installation of electronic turnstiles, along with the refurbishment of one dressing room and a media area.
Approval from the Zimbabwe Football Association's (ZIFA) First Instance Board is required for Rufaro Stadium to be officially sanctioned to host matches.
Source - newzimbabwe
