The Ministry of Youth, Sports, Arts and Entertainment is evaluating the feasibility of installing artificial turf on the National Sports Stadium as part of renovation works to meet international standards.
Minister Kirsty Coventry made the announcement during a tour of the GEO Pomona Waste Management sports and leisure facilities in Harare yesterday.
The project includes two basketball courts, two tennis courts, and a football field that recently received FIFA certification. Along with FIFA’s approval for recreational football, the certification will make the Geo Pomona artificial turf football pitch eligible for national team training.
Coventry was impressed by the quality of the stadium and revealed that the ministry is also planning something along those lines for the National Sports Stadium, which was condemned by CAF and FIFA as unfit for international football after failing to meet standards.
“As a country, all the other soccer facilities are focused on turf. But what we have here (at Geo Pomona) shows that (artificial turf) is better quality, and it’s probably easier to maintain if you have the right equipment, which is what Geo Pomona said they do,” he said.
“FIFA won’t certify unless the equipment is there for maintenance. They’ve got good water. That’s all we were looking for with the other facilities because sometimes the grass is a little tougher if you don’t have good, adequate water, maintenance, the right mowers; It can be very difficult.
“I know that at our national sports stadium we have had to try to replace the turf over the years, and now you end up with a lot of different types of turf and this is not the best facility.
“Therefore, we were also looking to bring the astroturf to the main stadium, as part of the refurbishment of the National Stadium, while keeping the turf in Arena B for the time being.
“So we’re working on that. I’ve just asked the contacts that brought their Geo Pomona grass so we can take on the companies that have already brought it to us and we’ll go from there.”
“But I believe that if there is the right management as well as all the other components and the right equipment, then astroturf is the right way to go and that is what we will stand for as the Ministry of National Sport,” Coventry said.
However, artificial turf has failed in the past in Zimbabwe. In 2008, FIFA installed artificial turf at Rufaro Stadium as part of the FIFA Forward Programme, but the surface deteriorated and became unusable and posed a danger to players due to lack of maintenance.
It has since been removed.
With the 2026 World Cup qualifiers looming, Coventry have responded to news that 35,000 units of bucket seats to be installed at the National Sports Stadium have been purchased on their way to Zimbabwe.
“We are all excited,” she said.
“But I will confirm it once they get here and I see them with my own eyes because we all know what can happen in transportation and logistics.
“So I don’t want to stress that something will arrive on a certain date. I’m sure my friends here at Geo Pomona can say the same because their land takes a little longer when they come from out of the country.
“There are clearance issues and things like that but we’re excited to finally move forward in terms of our direction with the bucket seats.
“There has been some good management at the National Sports Stadium in terms of the water systems; it is an old building, so when you start excavating certain things other things come up.
“But we are working with our engineers to make sure everything is done safely,” Coventry said.
Coventry toured GEO Pomona’s waste management facilities yesterday afternoon accompanied by officials from the ministry.
Geo Pomona Waste Management CEO Delish Njowaya and the company’s Managing Director Enea Murataj briefed her on how the company transformed what was once a smelly landfill into a world-class sports facility in the past five months.
The project includes two high-quality tennis courts, two basketball courts, and a football field that recently received FIFA certification.
FIFA certification will also make the artificial turf football field eligible for national team training.
“I think the facilities are amazing,” Coventry said after the tour.
“To think that this was a huge landfill and to hear all the information and the work that has been done in cleaning, disinfection and regeneration, and now we stand on astro turf which is of a high standard and internationally recognized is incredible and I would like to thank Geo Pomona Waste Management and the team for giving back to the sport.” And entertainment.
Nguwaya said they are looking to build balconies, locker rooms and add a restaurant at the facility.
“The important thing is that our national team will come and train here when they play against other teams that use this type of turf. Other facilities that will be added here include a restaurant, stands and a changing room,” Nguwaya said.
