BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) is unfazed by Caf’s refusal to re-inspect Barbourfields Stadium and working flat-out to improve the venue for a scheduled Fifa inspection on Saturday.

A Fifa delegation is expected in the country to inspect Barbourfields and the National Sports Stadium ahead of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers that kick-off in June.

Caf waved away Zifa’s plea for a re-inspection of Barbourfields Stadium and demanded that the national association submits the foreign venue the Warriors will use to host Algeria in 2021 Afcon qualifier.

Government and BCC will be hoping work done at the National Sports Stadium and Barbourfields will charm Fifa inspectors and possibly give the facilities the greenlight to resume hosting international games.

Youth, Sport, Art and Recreation Minister Kirsty Coventry officially announced the sad news that the Warriors will play a competitive home match on foreign soil for the first time in history. 

“Zifa have failed to assure Caf that the work we are doing in the stadiums will safeguard our national teams playing home games in Zimbabwe. Zifa now have to come up with a stadium for our teams to play home games outside of Zimbabwe,” Minister Coventry tweeted.

Despite Caf’s refusal to give Barbourfields a second look, BCC officials were busy refurbishing the stadium yesterday, with director of housing and community services Dictor Khumalo adamant they will meet the Saturday deadline.

“We are not deterred by communication that Zifa should name a foreign venue for the Algeria game because ours is to have Barbourfields Stadium meet those requirements even if the match has been moved away. We understand that the Fifa stadium inspectors’ visit had long been scheduled for the opening two weeks of March, meaning we still have to finish what we started ahead of the March 14 deadline,” said Khumalo.

BCC yesterday took delivery of 10 toilet sets and an air conditioner to be installed in the Barbourfields Stadium doping room.

The equipment was donated by Herentals Group of Colleges.