Zimbabwe pocketed R5 million (US$285 000) from hosting its match against Bafana Bafana in Durban where the cheapest ticket was selling for R80 and match was sold out.
South Africans have money in football to rent Moses Mabhida Stadium cost them only R250 000 So the profit margin is phenomenal.
South Africa is home to thousands of Zimbabweans who left the country in search of greener pastures.
Apparently, Zimbabwe is playing all its international matches outside the country due to lack of approved local stadiums.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) recently removed the National Sports Stadium from the list of approved stadiums.
CAF had earlier on approved the stadium to host Category B matches pending completion of the ongoing refurbishment works.
The Category B matches include Under 17 and Under 23 African Cup of Nations qualifiers as well as Champions League and Confederation Cup preliminary round matches.
However, CAF later reversed the decision, blacklisting the National Sports Stadium along with stadiums from Niger, Sudan, Benin, Gambia, and Madagascar.
Zimbabwean Champions Simba Bhora had to use Botswana as their alternative home for the CAF Champions League Preliminary Round tie against Nsingizini Hotspurs of Eswatini while the Warriors use Stadiums in South Africa for the World Cup Qualifiers.
In 2024, CAF banned Zimbabwe from hosting international matches until further notice.
The ban was due to the poor condition of its stadiums, the Zimbabwean Football Association, ZIFA, said in a statement at the time.
The decision followed a November inspection by CAF, which concluded that Zimbabwe’s stadiums “did not meet required standards”, according to the statement.
The Southern african nation has been mired in an endless economic crisis for the past 20 years, which has recently worsened with the return of hyperinflation, commodity shortages and widespread power cuts.