YADAH FC owner Walter Magaya has partnered with businessman, Shepherd Chahwanda, to build a "new state-of-the-art" stadium in Kwekwe, which is expected to be an improvement of Harare's Heart Stadium.
The stadium, which is named after Chahwanda, is expected to house 10 000 fans when complete.
The two football club owners are looking at putting together a facility that meets Confederation of African Football (Caf) standards for international matches.
Chahwanda owns lower league based side Hardrock.
According to Magaya, who is one of those eyeing the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) presidency in next year's elections, the facility will be complete by January 2025. The two hope to have the national teams playing there.
Zimbabwe currently does not have a Caf-approved stadium for international matches and home matches are being played in neighbouring countries.
This is a welcome development in Kwekwe which does not have a stadium that is fit to host Premier Soccer League matches.
Two Kwekwe-based teams, Kwekwe United and Tongogara, are in the running for promotion into the topflight next season.
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"My partner is strong enough and very much confident that we will complete this most probably early January coinciding with the Zifa elections," Magaya said yesterday.
"I am also looking at the southern and eastern regions; they need the same. All the football lovers and administrators were shocked when they went to see the ground, the work is massive and a huge surprise."
According to Magaya, Chahwanda Stadium will be a better version of Harare's Heart Arena, which is Yadah FC's home. In addition, Magaya has also built other Heart stadiums in Malawi and Mozambique.
The Kwekwe facility will be home to Hardrock FC, which is set to participate in the Zifa Central Region Soccer League next season.
