Harare Mayor, Councillor Jacob Mafume, has reiterated that the Premier Soccer League match between Dynamos FC and CAPS United, dubbed the Harare Derby, will be played at Rufaro Stadium this season.
The 2023 football season kicks off this weekend and the derby will be in week seven of the 2023 season.
Mafume made the remarks during a recent tour of the ceremonial home of Zimbabwean Football which is undergoing renovations. He said:
I’m certain that one of the biggest and important matches in the football calendar between Caps and Dynamos will be played in the stadium.
I have looked at the itinerary and I’m sure it will be played.
We have seen the pitch and the work being done, for the changing rooms we are going to have a shower for every player so that they don’t have to stand in a queue to shower.
We are going to make the changing rooms more airy and wider which would be comfortable for both the home and away team.
He said the VIP stands, media area, among others and buckets seats will be changed stage by stage until the whole ground is covered.
Mafume added that automated irrigation will be placed so that the turf is continuously maintained.
Football matches in the top division were last played at Rufaro Stadium in 2019 before the ZIFA First Instance Board red-flagged 45 000-seater Mbare facility in 2020 and declared it unfit to host premier football.