City of Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume says this season’s first installment of the Harare derby between CAPS United and Dynamos, will be played at Rufaro Stadium.
The Mbare facility, dubbed the ‘Ceremonial Home of Football’, is currently being renovated, after it was was condemned by the ZIFA First Instance Body in 2020, owing to years of neglect.
Initially, City of Harare made an agreement with Sakunda Holdings, for the energy company to give Rufaro a face-lift, before the latter pulled out of the deal.
The City Fathers then took it upon themselves to renovate the dilapidated facility, with Mafume promising football fans that it will be ready for use by March.
Speaking at a recent tour of Rufaro, Mafume said it will be host this season’s first Harare derby between crosstown rivals Makepekepe and DeMbare, which is matchday 7 on the PSL fixtures list.
“I’m certain that one of the biggest and important matches in the football calendar between Caps and Dynamos will be played in the stadium,” said Mafume.
“I have looked at the itinerary and I’m sure it will be played. We have seen the pitch and the work being done, for the changing rooms we are going to have a shower for every player so that they don’t have to stand in a queue to shower.
“We are going to make the changing rooms more airy and wider which would be comfortable for both the home and away team,” he added.
The competition or Rufaro might moderate the effects of the current stadium crisis in Zimbabwe, which has seen more than six Premier Soccer League (PSL) teams based in Harare, jostling for the National Sports Stadium.
