Chahwanda Stadium to redefine Zimbabwe's football infrastructure

Rising on the outskirts of the small mining town of Kwekwe, the under-construction Chahwanda Stadium is poised to become Zimbabwe's most ambitious football facility yet - an architectural first that could set a new benchmark for sports infrastructure in the country.

Located just seven kilometres from Kwekwe's central business district, along the Kwekwe–Gokwe Road, the 15,000-seater stadium is the brainchild of Shepherd Chahwanda, a local businessman and owner of Hardrock FC, in partnership with Prophet Walter Magaya, who is no stranger to sports development initiatives in Zimbabwe.

Described as a "first-of-its-kind" project in the local football landscape, Chahwanda Stadium boasts pioneering features that aim to outshine other major local facilities like Mandava Stadium, Ngoni Stadium, and Baobab Stadium, all of which have helped shape Zimbabwe's football architecture in recent years.

What truly sets Chahwanda Stadium apart is its holistic approach to modern sports infrastructure. Among its most talked-about features is a fully integrated team accommodation facility - 24 en-suite rooms designed to host entire squads for pre-match camps or extended stays. According to Chahwanda, these will be made available to visiting teams at affordable rates, ensuring accessibility without compromising comfort.

"We wanted to build more than just a stadium. This is about creating a complete football ecosystem," said Chahwanda, whose club Hardrock FC is currently among the top contenders for promotion to the Premier Soccer League from the Central Region Soccer League.

Other standout amenities include a presidential suite, a fully-equipped emergency clinic, a ZIFA administrative office, and a sprawling VIP lounge. The stadium will also feature 52 entrance gates, a move aimed at improving crowd control and ensuring safety during high-profile matches.

Perhaps most commercially exciting is the inclusion of 12 retail outlets within the stadium premises. Major fast-food brands are already scrambling to secure these spaces, hoping to cash in on matchday traffic - an innovation likely to boost both fan experience and stadium-generated revenue.

Bucket seat installation is currently underway, in line with modern standards required for international football hosting. While the primary use of the stadium is for football, the developers have also hinted at future plans to make the venue rugby-compatible, broadening its usage and appeal.

The project comes at a time when there is growing demand for CAF-compliant facilities across Zimbabwe. While it remains to be seen whether Chahwanda Stadium will meet CAF's stringent standards, early signs suggest it could emerge as one of the country's few venues capable of hosting continental fixtures.

The move also puts pressure on other private developers, such as Scott Sakupwanya, owner of Scottland FC, who is also planning to build a high-end stadium. However, the Chahwanda-Magaya collaboration appears to have taken the early lead in Zimbabwe's race to elevate local football infrastructure to world-class levels.

With construction steadily progressing, the stadium has already sparked economic activity in the surrounding area and renewed local interest in football. And with Hardrock FC eyeing promotion, the team could very well christen their new home in the Premier Soccer League next season - a fitting start to what could become Zimbabwe's most iconic sporting venue.