The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has once again barred the National Stadium of Zimpeto in Maputo from hosting international matches, citing that the pitch does not meet the “required standards,” as announced by the Mozambique Football Federation (FMF).
In a press statement, the FMF announced that the CAF made this decision following two inspections conducted on February 17 and February 28, during which several deficiencies were identified that prevent the stadium from hosting official international competitions.
“Among the main issues highlighted are the condition of the surface and the grass, in addition to other abnormalities that do not meet the required standards,” the FMF’s press release reads.
According to the document, the Mozambique national football team will have to play its upcoming matches abroad, starting with a fixture against Uganda in the qualifying campaign, scheduled for March 20. The governing body of Mozambique football had until March 7 to inform CAF of an “alternative stadium that meets all the necessary requirements for the match.”
This ban follows a similar prohibition on December 15 of last year, also for not meeting the “required standards.” Previously, the Zimpeto Stadium had been barred in 2023, forcing the ‘Mambas’ to play in neighboring South Africa.
The president of the FMF acknowledged on January 8 that the condition of the National Stadium of Zimpeto’s pitch is poor and appealed to the government for funding to maintain the infrastructure.
The Mambas now shift to host their World Cup 2026 qualifiers match day 5 against Uganda Cranes from Egypt’s Cairo International stadium on 20th March 2025.
