THE Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) is stepping up efforts to have the Warriors play their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying home matches at Chahwanda Stadium in Kwekwe, subject to Confederation of African Football (CAF) approval.
ZIFA president Nqobile Magwizi revealed the association’s plans after touring the newly-built facility on Friday.
Chahwanda Stadium is awaiting a final CAF inspection to determine whether it meets the continental body’s requirements for hosting international matches.
“CAF team was here in February, we are going to invite them again with hope that the facility will be homologated.
“If it gets homologated, even our qualifiers will be here (Chahwanda).
“We are grateful to Mr Chahwanda for what he has done. This is good for our national team,” said Magwizi.
Zimbabwe is set to begin its 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign in September after being drawn in Group E alongside DR Congo, Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea.
For the past several years, the Warriors have been forced to play their home fixtures outside Zimbabwe because the country has not had a CAF-approved stadium.
Chahwanda Stadium has emerged as one of the leading candidates to end that drought after impressing local football authorities. The venue is now awaiting the final CAF inspection, which will determine whether it can host competitive international matches.
The National Sports Stadium in Harare, which is undergoing extensive renovations, also remains under consideration as Zimbabwe pushes to restore international football to home soil.
