Zimbabwe has been stripped of its right to host its next 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier due to stadium non-compliance issues, as announced by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) confirmed on Tuesday that CAF made the decision after finding that the country’s stadiums no longer meet international standards. This follows a CAF inspection conducted late last year, during which several recommendations were made to bring the facilities up to standard. Unfortunately, ZIFA was unable to implement the required improvements, leaving Zimbabwe without any stadium suitable for hosting international matches.
As a result, Zimbabwe’s upcoming qualifier against Algeria on March 29th will need to be relocated to a venue outside the country that meets CAF requirements. This represents a significant logistical and sporting challenge for the Zimbabwean team, which now loses the home advantage for a crucial match in the qualifying campaign.
CAF has consistently emphasized infrastructure compliance as a condition for hosting official matches, ensuring that stadiums provide safety, adequate facilities for players and officials, and a proper environment for fans. Zimbabwe’s failure to upgrade its stadiums has therefore directly impacted its ability to host continental fixtures.
The relocation of the match also underscores the broader need for investment in sports infrastructure across Africa, as national teams often face difficulties when stadiums fall short of CAF or FIFA standards. For Zimbabwe, this decision could affect preparations and fan engagement, as the team will be forced to play away from home for what would have been a critical fixture in their AFCON 2021 qualifying campaign.
In summary, Zimbabwe’s next AFCON qualifier against Algeria will now be held at a neutral venue outside the country due to CAF’s closure of all domestic stadiums for failing to meet international standards, following an unheeded inspection and set of recommendations from the governing body.
