Tuesday 27 Janauary 2026
Zim GBC News | Sports Correspondent
HARARE – Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Finance has announced high-level talks to construct a modern, multi-purpose national sports stadium in the capital, a move aimed at ending the country’s years-long sporting isolation due to substandard venues.
The national football team, the Warriors, has been unable to host international matches at home since 2020, after the country’s major stadiums were deemed unfit by FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF). This has forced the team to play its “home” fixtures in neighboring countries like South Africa.
In a significant development, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube held discussions on the sidelines of the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, with the global construction firm Mabetex Group. The talks centered on plans to build a state-of-the-art stadium in Mount Hampden, the site of Zimbabwe’s new administrative capital.
“The project will be delivered under a treasury-light financing model that ensures sustainability and world-class standards,” the Ministry of Finance stated.
The meeting included Mabetex’s founder and chairman, Behgjet Pacolli, and general counsel Korab Toplica, which the ministry said underscored the project’s “credibility and commercial strength.”
Mabetex, known for delivering major infrastructure projects globally, is reportedly working with FIFA-aligned experts. It has proposed a 30-year financing model designed to minimize the burden on the national treasury.
According to preliminary designs and plans, the proposed facility will feature a retractable roof and serve as a mixed-use global venue. It is envisioned to host international football and rugby matches, major concerts, and other large-scale events, acting as a catalyst for urban development in Mount Hampden.
The government has described the stadium as a “catalytic investment” expected to promote youth development, restore national pride, and position Zimbabwe to host significant international events once more.
The project represents a direct response to the repeated failures of the National Sports Stadium in Harare and Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo to meet required international standards.
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