National Sports Stadium ready by December 2024

The government aims to complete the rehabilitation of the National Sports Stadium to meet CAF's minimum standards by the end of the year, according to the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC).

SRC board chairman Gerald Mlotshwa and director-general Elta Nengomasha provided an update on the ongoing renovations.

The first batch of 15,000 bucket seats purchased from China has arrived in Beira, Mozambique, and will be shipped to Harare once the necessary paperwork is finalized.

Mlotshwa confirmed that the seats are ready for transport and noted that timelines for their arrival in Zimbabwe are being confirmed.

The target for completing the renovation work is December, although significant work on the pitch remains.

Nengomasha detailed the progress, noting that preparations include installing a new perimeter fence, expected to be finished by the end of August. Water reticulation is partially complete, with trenches dug and piping on site.

Turnstiles and CCTV equipment are at the stadium, awaiting installation, and new generators and floodlights have been acquired, with most preliminary work already done.

Due to the stadium's current lack of CAF certification, the Warriors will play their home Africa Cup of Nations matches in other countries.

The Zimbabwean national team will host Cameroon, Kenya, and Namibia in Uganda in the coming months.