NSS to start hosting matches early next year

The second phase of renovations at the National Sports Stadium has commenced and is expected to be completed in December, paving the way for the reopening of the country’s biggest stadium next year.

The country’s biggest stadium has been closed since the beginning of the year to pave the way for renovations after the facility had been run down.

The facility was also not fit to host international matches as it did not have buckets seats, reliable water supply and electronic turnstiles, among other requirements.

In a recent media briefing, the Sports and Recreation Commission revealed that bucket seats have since been procured, with the first batch now at Port Beira in Mozambique.

“The bucket seats are now in Mozambique and waiting to be transferred to Zimbabwe, the shipment is coming in batches and we have all now the hill of entry and everything and it’s just a matter of time before they are at the stadium,” Sports and Recreation Commission Chairperson, Gerald Mlotshwa

The sports regulatory body which also oversees the National Sports Stadium also gave an update on other works at the facility.

“I think if u pass through Samora Machel Road you can already see we have already started work on the perimeter fence we are removing the durawall that had broken down, inside the stadium water works that had stopped have started and we have now running water in half of the stadium bay 17-1 and we working on the other half, the turnstiles are already here and some engineering works have started in preparation for the installation of the seats and other things,” explained Sports and Recreation Commission Director General, Elter Nengomasha.

The works are expected to be completed in December, with the stadium expected to be ready for use in January next year.

The Zimbabwe senior national football team as well as teams representing the country in continental club football Dynamos and Ngezi Platinum Stars were forced to host matches outside the country’s borders due to lack of an internationally approved facility at home.

Zbc