HARARE — The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has granted the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) permission to admit supporters at the National Spor...
HARARE — The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has granted the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) permission to admit supporters at the National Sports Stadium for two upcoming international football fixtures, but attendance will be capped at 10,000 spectators per match.
ZIFA announced the development on Saturday, saying the authorisation was subject to strict safety and security conditions following the death of a supporter during a recent Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The approval covers Zimbabwe’s Women’s Olympic Football Tournament qualifier against Malawi on October 13, 2026, and Scottland FC’s CAF Champions League match against Atlético Petróleos de Luanda, provisionally scheduled for October 17, subject to confirmation of the official fixture date.
In a statement, ZIFA said CAF had granted “exceptional, strictly conditional authorisation” for the matches to be played before a limited crowd.
The development follows indications that CAF had imposed a provisional restriction on supporters attending matches at the stadium after the fatal incident during the Zimbabwe-DR Congo encounter.
ZIFA president Nqobile Magwizi had said earlier in the week that he intended to engage CAF leadership on the matter on the sidelines of the organisation’s strategy meeting in Cape Verde.
Under the new conditions, attendance at the National Sports Stadium will not exceed 10,000 spectators for either match. Supporters will also be restricted to designated and approved seating areas.
ZIFA said stadium gates would open five hours before kick-off to allow sufficient time for security checks, orderly entry and seating. Ticketing arrangements, access procedures and parking details will be communicated separately ahead of the fixtures.
The association said enhanced safety measures would be implemented, covering crowd management, access control, security deployment, medical services and emergency response.
A CAF Safety and Security Officer will monitor and assess the implementation of the measures to ensure compliance with the conditions attached to the authorisation.
ZIFA also warned that failure to meet CAF’s requirements could result in further restrictions or the withdrawal of permission to admit supporters.
The association reiterated its condolences to the family and loved ones of the supporter who died during the recent match, saying the safety of spectators, players, officials and other match personnel remained its priority.
ZIFA further announced a zero-tolerance policy towards hooliganism, violence, intimidation, vandalism, forced entry and any other behaviour that threatens public safety.
Supporters who violate the rules may be denied entry, removed from the stadium or banned from attending future matches, depending on the circumstances.
Fans have also been urged to follow instructions from police officers, stewards and match officials, keep access routes and emergency exits clear, and report any unsafe behaviour.
ZIFA said it would ensure that the required guidelines were followed during both fixtures.
The association thanked the Government of Zimbabwe, through the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, for providing formal guarantees to CAF and supporting efforts to improve sporting safety.
It also acknowledged the cooperation of security services, medical teams, emergency responders and stadium authorities in implementing the required measures.
The return of supporters will allow a limited number of fans to attend the two matches, but the stadium’s capacity for these fixtures remains restricted under CAF’s conditions.
