The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has again banned Mozambique’s Zimpeto National Stadium from hosting international matches, according to a CAF statement issued on Wednesday.
As the CAF ban only takes effect from Monday (16-12), it will be possible for the Black Bulls to host Enyimba from Nigeria on Sunday for the CAF Cup.
The quality of the pitch, lighting and the lack of turnstiles (so far, metal barriers without electronic devices are being used) at the Zimpeto National Stadium, where the “Bulls” and Al-Masry played and drew on a deplorable pitch on Sunday, were all factors in CAF’s decision.
Therefore, the Black Bulls will no longer host Zamalek in their home territory, and should, in principle, play this fifth-round CAF Cup match at Mbombela, in neighbouring South Africa.
The CAF challenges the Mozambican Football Federation (FMF) to indicate the venue that will host the national team’s next matches, which, in March, has a home match to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
This is the third time that the Zimpeto National Stadium has been banned as an international competition location for not meeting the requirements, after 2021 and 2022, when sanctions lasted more than six months each time.