Work at the National Sports Stadium is running faster than never before and the facility could be available for the Warriors earlier than expected.
Bucket seats have covered almost the entire stadium and work on the other areas is moving faster than ever before, and at this rate, the facility could be ready for the remaining World Cup home qualifiers.
We hope this momentum will be maintained because we have been in this situation before where our spirits have been raised only to be dampened at the crucial stage.
Remember this stadium has been closed to the Warriors for three or so years and over that period we have seen work being done but without being completed.
For those not in the know-how, Zimbabwe last used the National Sports Stadium on November 14, 2021 in a 1-1 drawn 2022 World Cup qualifier against Ethiopia.
Zimbabwe, though, has two successive World Cup matches coming up against Rwanda on September 8, and another against South Africa on October 6, which gives us enough time to fine-tune the NSS and make it ready in time for CAF inspection.
The ideal situation would be to have the renovations completed the latest by mid-June to allow CAF and Fifa to have a look at it and if there is something left that could be done before the end of July.
Although we no longer have anything to play for in the 2026 World Cup, playing the Bafana Bafana of South Africa at the NSS would be the tonic that the stadium needs for its re-opening.
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Zifa president Nqobile Magwizi, who is also the NSS project manager, has once again promised that the stadium would be ready in time for Rwanda's visit and this time there is every reason to give him the benefit of the doubt
We are not sure what has brought about this sudden urgency but if this was done when it was needed most, the Warriors could have been halfway to qualification for the 2026 World Cup finals.
The four points we lost in the draws against Benin and Nigeria and the three points we donated to the Crocodiles of Lesotho in the 2-0 loss could have put us in good steady at this time of the campaign.
In fact, we should never have played our home matches in foreign lands considering the huge amount of time that CAF and FIFA gave us to recondition the National Sports Stadium and others of note.
In fact, the problem we are in could have been avoided had the Bulawayo City Council followed CAF guidelines to renovate Barbourfields Stadium after the continental football body pointed out that Barbourfields was as good as the NSS.
However, for the first time we are happy that something serious is being done at the NSS but what we are not sure of is how long that seriousness will last knowing the attitude of Zimbabweans.
What we want is to watch our Warriors in action right on our door step with news coming through that there are chances of having the likes of Trey Nyoni, Isaac Mabaya, Ethan Sutherland, Shumaira Mheuka and others in Warriors colours.
Surely, playing away from home has not only been costly to football fans but has also affected the overall performance of the Warriors who have been forced to move from one stadium to the other.
Moreso, that the Warriors were and are using South Africa as their base when they are coincidentally in the same group with the Bafana Bafana in both the World Cup 2026 and Afcon 2025.
Surely every football fan is looking forward to the re-opening of the National Sports Stadium and we hope that the progress we have witnessed will this time culminate in the real deal.
Things are looking very very promising but in Zimbabwe, you only celebrate after the job has really been done and dusted.
- For your views, comments, and suggestions, mkariati@gmail.com. or WhatsApp on 071 0774 596 or call 0773 266 779.
