The Government has assured the public that all necessary measures are in place for the Warriors, Zimbabwe’s senior men’s football team, to play their upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Rwanda next month. Due to the lack of an approved stadium for international fixtures in Zimbabwe, the Warriors will host Nigeria’s Super Eagles in Rwanda for their second qualifier, immediately after playing Rwanda in their opening match.
Speaking to ZBC News, the Minister of Sports, Recreation, Arts, and Culture, Honourable Kirsty Coventry, confirmed that logistical arrangements have been finalised following discussions with the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) Normalisation Committee. “I met with the ZIFA Normalisation Committee yesterday and discussed that the team will be staying there, and they are finalising a few things. Of course, they are disappointed as we wanted the first match to be played at home,” she stated.
Minister Coventry also provided an update on the efforts to have the National Sports Stadium approved for hosting international matches. She revealed that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) had inspected the facility and was satisfied with the upgrades, with the remaining issue being the installation of turnstiles. This is contingent upon the arrival of bucket seats that have already been procured. “We are waiting for the committee to sign off, which should hopefully happen next week. Once that’s done, the importation will begin,” she explained.
On the prospect of the Warriors playing on home soil, Coventry expressed optimism that at least one stadium in Zimbabwe could be ready for international matches by April next year. She stressed the importance of choosing the correct seats to meet CAF and FIFA standards to avoid any setbacks.