Official: Zimbabwe regains its stadium for international matches

Great news for Zimbabwean football. CAF has officially granted Category 3 approval to the National Sports Stadium in Harare. This means the country can once again host international fixtures on home soil.

This marks a major turning point for the Warriors, local clubs, the national team, and, most importantly, for the fans. The Harare stadium had been under CAF restrictions since 2021 for not meeting compliance standards. Since then, the national team and clubs participating in African competitions were forced to play their matches abroad.

Which matches can be played in Harare?

According to the federation's statement, this approval allows the National Sports Stadium to host Champions League and Confederation Cup matches up to the quarterfinals. The stadium can also stage qualifiers for AFCON and the World Cup, as well as other competitions designated for Category 3 venues. Everything will depend on the specific requirements of each tournament.

Perfect timing for the 2027 AFCON qualifiers

The timing couldn't be better. The 2027 AFCON qualifiers kick off in less than a month, with the first and second matchdays scheduled between September 21 and October 6.

On Matchday 2 in particular, Zimbabwe is set to host the Democratic Republic of Congo, marking the return of the National Sports Stadium. After four years in exile, the Warriors will finally play a crucial qualifier in front of their home crowd—a true morale boost.

Nafongo TRAORE |

News Editorfr, ar, en

Nafongon Moussa TRAORE, Burkinabè de 25 ans, est passionné de football, est rédacteur pour Foot Africa et commentateur pour BurkiFoot.

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