THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) says it has no control over the scheduling of Premier Soccer League (PSL) matches at Barbourfields Stadium, despite being the owner of the facility, as concerns grow over the venue hosting five top-flight matches within a short period of time.
The local authority, however, acknowledged that the congested fixture programme could affect the quality of the playing surface, which is already carrying an increased workload following the de-homologation of Luveve Stadium in February.
BF hosted three Castle Lager PSL matches during the week and is set to stage two more over the weekend, making it one of the busiest periods for the stadium this season.
On Tuesday, Bulawayo Chiefs played TelOne at BF and Chicken Inn hosted Caps United the following day.
Yesterday, it was Highlanders against Agama at the same venue.
Tomorrow, Chicken Inn are back at Emagumeni for a clash with Herentals while Chiefs will entertain Highlanders on Sunday.
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Responding to questions from NewsDay, BCC corporate communications manager Nesisa Mpofu said the scheduling of matches falls under the jurisdiction of the PSL.
"Council is concerned about Barbourfields hosting five PSL matches within a period of eight days. This has been occasioned by the de-homologation of Luveve Stadium," Mpofu said.
"This is something that is beyond us as fixturing games in these facilities is a domain of the Premier Soccer League. However, despite all this we have always ensured that the stadium is availed at optimal conditions to host soccer matches."
The concentration of fixtures at Barbourfields has renewed debate over the potential impact on the playing surface, with football stakeholders questioning whether the turf will have sufficient time to recover between matches.
Council acknowledged that frequent use places additional strain on the pitch.
"Hosting a large number of games within a short space of time does have an impact on the quality of the turf as the frequency of matches has a bearing on the recovery of the turf after usage," Mpofu said.
She said the extent of the impact is influenced by several factors, including seasonal conditions, moisture levels, soil fertility and grass height.
The latest fixture congestion comes at a time when BF has become the primary venue for the three Bulawayo-based clubs after Luveve Stadium failed to meet PSL requirements and was de-homologated ahead of the current season.
The traditional home of football in the City of Kings and Queens recently hosted the National Culture Month celebrations on May 21.
While concerns have been raised over the possible deterioration of the playing surface, council said the pitch is continuously monitored by its maintenance teams.
"The pitch is regularly assessed by our maintenance team and they recommend necessary interventions when need arises," Mpofu said.
Council could not provide a specific time frame required for the pitch to fully recover between matches, saying recovery periods depend on prevailing conditions and the state of the turf.
PSL chief executive officer Rodwell Thabe recently expressed confidence in the condition of Barbourfields Stadium, describing it as one of the country's better-maintained football venues.
Thabe said the league remains satisfied with the quality of the pitch and continues to work closely with stadium authorities to ensure facilities meet required standards throughout the season.
However, with five league matches squeezed into this week, attention will inevitably be focused on how the iconic Bulawayo venue withstands one of its most demanding schedules in recent years.
Zifa's First Instance Body officials are said to have been in Bulawayo during the week, to make a re-assessment of Luveve Stadium with a possibility of a re-certification of the facility to host top league matches.
This comes after the PSL made a formal request to Zifa.
