Sports Writer
Zimbabwe’s national football team, the Warriors, is set to face Lesotho and South Africa in their upcoming 2026 World Cup Qualifiers Group C matches.
The games will be played in Bloemfontein and Johannesburg due to the unavailability of suitable stadiums in Zimbabwe.
In their first match, the Warriors will host Lesotho at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on June 7, 2024. The match kicks off at 6 pm CAT.
The team has been forced to use a neutral venue for this game as no local stadium in Zimbabwe meets the required standards set by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The Warriors’ second match will see them take on South Africa’s Bafana Bafana at Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg on June 11, 2024. This encounter will begin at 8 pm CAT.
The Warriors have had a mixed start to their World Cup qualifying campaign, drawing their opening matches against Nigeria and Rwanda, leaving them with two points from as many games. This puts Zimbabwe in fifth place in Group C, two points behind leaders Rwanda.
Meanwhile the Zimbabwe’s football association, ZIFA, has faced criticism for its handling of the national team’s coaching situation.
With crucial matches approaching, the organization has only recently opened applications for the Warriors’ coaching job.
This comes after caretaker coach Baltemar Brito’s contract expired at the end of December, leaving the team without a permanent head coach. Norman Mapeza has been leading the team but on an interim basis.
Warriors hunt for first win in WC Qualifiers