Tinotenda Hove – The long-delayed refurbishment of the National Sports Stadium is finally nearing completion, with government promising that the venue will be ready before the close of 2025.

Sports Minister Lieutenant-General Anselem Sanyatwe this week assured the nation that the upgrades are on track and that most of the major work has already been finished.

“Government is making significant and measurable progress towards the rehabilitation of the stadium. We are focused on doing a perfect job that will see the stadium meet CAF and FIFA standards,” Sanyatwe said.

According to the minister, nearly all bucket seats have already been installed, while the pitch has been reconstructed with modern drainage, irrigation, and electrical systems. The seeding of the new lawn is set to take place soon, with a growth and settlement period of about two months expected to make the field playable by late November. A new half-a-million-litre water reservoir has also been completed.

On lighting, outdated floodlights were dismantled and modern LED fittings have been procured from South Africa, with delivery expected shortly. Backup power generators are already on site, with the generator house almost complete.

Facilities such as dressing rooms, referee areas, doping control spaces, and media rooms are being rebuilt to comply with international requirements. Work has also been done on water systems, ablution blocks, the VIP lounge, and the secondary training arena. Security upgrades, including CCTV tubing and fencing, are also in progress.

With most of the heavy work close to completion, Sanyatwe said the Ministry is confident the stadium will soon regain international approval.

“If resources permit, considering the progress of current works, the stadium is expected to be completed by the end of the year,” he said.

The completion of the project is expected to restore Zimbabwe’s ability to host international matches on home soil, bringing back the atmosphere of local fans cheering for the Warriors in Harare.