By Tapiwa Chawagarira
PLANS for a landmark national stadium at Mt Hampden in Harare appear to be moving into a new phase, with the government confirming that land for the proposed facility has already been secured and that discussions with a potential investor are underway.
The latest update was provided by Nicholas Moyo, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sport, who said the government is now engaging a possible investor as it seeks to turn the long-discussed project into reality.
“The new city is going to have a state-of-the-art stadium. The land is already secured, and the government has held meetings with the potential investor for that facility. We believe we are on the right track,” Moyo said.
The development comes nearly eight months after the government first unveiled plans for the ambitious stadium, which is expected to become one of the flagship sporting facilities in the planned Mt Hampden new city.
In January, Treasury officials held high-level discussions with the Swiss-based Mabetex Group regarding the proposed project, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. The plans presented at the time included a retractable roof and a mixed-use facility capable of hosting international football, rugby, concerts, and other major events.
The project was also linked to a proposed long-term financing model involving Mabetex and FIFA-aligned experts, with the government indicating that the arrangement was intended to reduce immediate pressure on the national fiscus.
Moyo said Zimbabwe’s ambitions are no longer centred on maintaining a single national stadium, but on developing additional facilities capable of accommodating major sporting events.
“As Zimbabwe, we are no longer focused on maintaining just one national stadium. We are ensuring that we have another stadium to host additional matches so that we become more competitive and can host bigger games in the future,” he said.
The proposed development carries added significance for Zimbabwean football, which has in recent years struggled to secure compliant venues for international matches. The lack of suitable facilities has forced the Warriors to stage some home fixtures abroad.
At the same time, the existing National Sports Stadium is undergoing refurbishment. Government infrastructure documents indicate that the work has included seating, electronic turnstiles, hybrid turf, water reticulation, perimeter fencing, ablution facilities, changing rooms, and drainage and irrigation upgrades aimed at meeting CAF standards.
The Mt Hampden project would therefore provide a second major facility, rather than simply replacing the National Sports Stadium.
The stadium is also being conceived as part of the broader development of Mt Hampden, where the government has been pursuing a new administrative and commercial city. Cabinet documents show that the approved master plan covers more than 15,300 hectares, with dozens of farms identified for development.
Beyond football, the proposed venue could provide a platform for rugby, concerts, and other large-scale events, potentially creating additional commercial uses for the facility.
For Zimbabwean football, however, the biggest attraction will be the possibility of finally having another modern venue capable of hosting international matches on home soil.
With the land secured and the government now reporting engagement with a potential investor, attention is likely to shift towards the project’s financing structure, construction timetable, and the eventual delivery of the proposed retractable-roof facility.
