CAF president warns Zim authorities over state of local stadiums

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Ahmad Ahmad has warned Zimbabwean authorities that the regional governing body will not hesitate to order the Warriors to play home games on neutral soil should the country’s stadiums still not meet set requirements.

All local stadiums are currently banned from hosting international matches due to their failure to meet set standards and even though government has embarked on a renovating exercise, there are still some recommendations by CAF which have not been completed at the arenas.

The Warriors are set to host Algeria in an AFCON qualifier in November and Ahmad insists that game will be played at a neutral venue if local stadiums don’t pass the CAF inspection.

“Look we take no pleasure in having a national team play its home games away from home. It is my hope that authorities there (Zimbabwe) quickly work on what is required and we will then send a specialist team to do the inspections and if, and this is what I am hoping for too, they find the facilities to be up to standard, we will not hesitate to have a stadium certified and your teams enjoy home ground advantage,” Ahmad said as cited by The Chronicle. 

“However in the same vein, if they are still below what we expect, be rest assured that as Caf we shall be left with no option, but to take that painful but necessary route of taking away your home advantage. But let me be clear that this is not what we want,” he added.

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