National Sports Stadium renovations lag

Government is scrambling to complete renovations at the National Sports Stadium amid fears that Zimbabwe's senior men's national football team could once again be forced to play their remaining 2026 World Cup qualifiers away from home.

The stadium has been out of commission for international matches since 2021 after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) deemed it unfit due to failing to meet required standards. As a result, the Warriors and other national teams have had to host matches in foreign countries.

Hopes of a return to home turf were rekindled earlier this year when Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Anselem Sanyatwe and Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) president Nqobile Magwizi pledged that the Warriors would host their qualifiers in Harare.

However, optimism was dealt a blow on Thursday when Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube revealed in his Mid-term Budget Review that key refurbishment works - especially on the pitch - are still far from complete.

"Installation of bucket seats is now at 90% completion. Reconstruction works on the turf are at 40%, with the old surface dug out in preparation for laying a new one. We have completed the installation of turnstiles at Gate 1, cabling and tubing for venue operating systems, while restoration of the water reticulation system is ongoing," Ncube said.

The Warriors are due to face Benin on September 1 and Rwanda on September 8 in Harare, but with renovations progressing slowly, it is increasingly likely that the latter match will be moved to an alternative venue. South Africa - which has served as the team's temporary "home" base - is reportedly the most probable fallback option.

If work is not completed in time, Zimbabwe's entire World Cup qualifying campaign could be played outside the country. The Warriors' final scheduled home fixture in the qualifiers is against South Africa on October 6.