By Milton Marima
CAF has ordered Zimbabwe to play its next home international match behind closed doors following incidents during the Warriors’ 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the Democratic Republic of Congo at the National Sports Stadium on 28 September.
The CAF Disciplinary Committee’s decision comes after a fatal stampede outside the stadium, in which a football fan lost his life, as well as a pitch invasion following the match.
Zimbabwe lost the encounter 2–1, with Marshall Munetsi scoring the Warriors’ consolation goal.
The sanction is a major setback for Zimbabwe, especially after the National Sports Stadium had recently regained CAF approval to host international football following renovations.
The match against DRC marked the Warriors’ return to the venue for a competitive international fixture after several years.
CAF has also fined ZIFA over the incidents.
The closed-door punishment means Zimbabwean supporters will not be allowed inside the stadium for the next home international fixture, depriving the Warriors of home support at a crucial stage of their AFCON campaign.
The tragedy has also prompted authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the fan’s death, with the government saying it will review crowd-management, access-control and emergency-response measures at sporting venues.
