Multimillion-Dollar Stadium for Vic-Falls
By Kwedu News
In a significant development for the country’s sporting infrastructure, Zimbabwean President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, has laid the foundation stone for a state-of-the-art multipurpose stadium in the resort town of Victoria Falls.
Dubbed the Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium, a local name for Victoria Falls, the stadium will have a capacity to hold 10,000 people; and set to host various sporting disciplines.
The stadium is slated to be a key venue for the 2026/2027 Cricket World Cup, which Zimbabwe is co-hosting with South Africa and Namibia.
It will also host the 2026 Under-19 Cricket World Cup.
The project, estimated to cost between US$5 million and US$10 million, is largely funded by International Cricket Council (ICC) grants.
The facility will also include a tourist resort, featuring a central business district, medical facility, golf estate, school, and conference facilities.
The stadium is expected to be completed by August 2025, allowing for the pitch to be laid a year before the 2026 World Cup.
Despite criticism from some sections of society on its impact on the natural site of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwean authorities have welcomed the development.
A similar project by the ICC will be constructed in the Midlands Province Capital, Gweru, where the local authority has already offered a 10 hectare plot on a 99 year lease agreement.
Mutare has also been reported to be part of the Cricket international body stadium investments target in Zimbabwe as it prepares for the next cricket World Cup in Southern Africa.
