National Sports Stadium Reopening Nears After Major Upgrades

HARARE – The long-awaited reopening of the National Sports Stadium moved a step closer on Monday after Sakunda Holdings officially handed over newly installed bucket seats and refurbished all-weather turf under a public-private partnership agreement with the Government. The handover ceremony was attended by Anselem Sanyatwe, Deputy Minister Emily Jesaya, Zimbabwe Football Association president Nqobile Magwizi, Premier Soccer League Zimbabwe chairman Isaiah Mupfurutsa and Sakunda Holdings chief operations officer Mberikwazvo Chitambo. The officials toured the stadium to assess progress on ongoing renovations ahead of the expected return of international football matches later this month.

The government confirmed that 44,000 bucket seats have now been installed as part of extensive refurbishment works aimed at restoring the stadium to Confederation of African Football (CAF) standards. The National Sports Stadium has been closed to international matches since the end of 2021 after CAF condemned the facility over safety, infrastructure and pitch concerns. Major upgrades carried out under the rehabilitation programme include:

• Installation of new bucket seats

• Rehabilitation of the playing surface

• Upgrading of the all-weather turf

• Structural and facility maintenance works

• Improvements to spectator comfort and safety standards

Speaking during the inspection tour, Sanyatwe praised the partnership with Sakunda Holdings and commended contractors working on the project.

“These renovations reflect the Government’s commitment to modernising sports infrastructure in line with Vision 2030 and creating world-class facilities for athletes and sports fans alike,” the Ministry of Sport said in a statement.

The reopening of the National Sports Stadium is expected to significantly boost Zimbabwean football after years of national teams being forced to host international matches outside the country. Zimbabwe’s senior national football team, Zimbabwe national football team, has been playing home fixtures in neighbouring countries due to the stadium’s closure. Football analyst Charles Mabika said the return of international football to Harare would provide both economic and sporting benefits.

“The reopening of the National Sports Stadium will revive local football enthusiasm, generate revenue and restore national pride for supporters who have waited years for international matches at home,” Mabika said.

Authorities described the National Sports Stadium as one of Zimbabwe’s most important sporting facilities and central to efforts aimed at reviving local sport and attracting major regional competitions. The government has increasingly relied on public-private partnerships to fund infrastructure rehabilitation projects amid growing pressure to modernise sports facilities across the country. Officials say final inspections are expected before the stadium can officially resume hosting CAF-sanctioned matches.

National Sports Stadium reopening

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