HARARE – Zimbabwe’s national football team, the Warriors, might play their home 2026 World Cup qualifier against Nigeria in Rwanda due to a stadium crisis.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has condemned all of Zimbabwe’s stadiums, rendering them unfit for hosting international matches.
The Warriors are scheduled to play Rwanda in their opening Group C match during the November international break, followed by a home match against Nigeria a few days later.
Given the stadium situation in Zimba-bwe, the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) is actively considering the option of keeping the team in Rwanda for the Nigeria match instead of returning to Southern Africa and setting up camp in a neighboring country.
While South Africa and Botswana were initially considered top candidates for hosting Zimbabwe’s home fixtures, ZIFA is now looking to host the Nigeria match in Kigali, Rwanda, for logistical reasons.
ZIFA has been in discussions with the Rwanda Football Association regarding the possibility of hosting the fixture in Kigali.
This stadium crisis has sparked outrage in Harare, with many expressing frustration over the lack of functional stadiums in the country.
Zimbabwe is set to compete in Group C for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, alongside South Africa, Lesotho, Benin, and Nigeria.
The choice of Kigali as the venue for the Nigeria match would alleviate some of the logistical challenges arising from the stadium crisis.
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