Renovations have started at Rufaro Stadium in Harare ahead of the new season.

The soccer venue has been in bad state in recent years and was blocked from hosting top-flight games last season by the ZIFA’s First Instance Body.

The upgrade is being carried by the City Parking after the stadium owners Harare City Council entered into a partnership with the company a few days ago.

City Parking Public Relations manager Francis Mandaza yesterday told The Herald that they were expecting to have the stadium back in good condition by mid-next month.

“City Parking has started construction work at Rufaro Stadium on the agreed scope of work which includes perimeter wall, shopping complex, parking lot and B arena ground,” Mandazza revealed.

“Our contractors are already on the ground with their construction equipment ready to start work. We have already procured most of the needed building materials including 120 000 bricks, river sand, pit sand and cement among other materials. Our expectations are that by mid-March we should be nearing project completion.”

The construction work comes after Sakunda Holdings withdrew from the project last year.

The energy company had planned to renovate the football venue after receiving a long-term lease contract from the stadium owners Harare City Council in March.

Sakunda withdrew from the renovations after accusing the City of Harare of reneging on the signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).