CAF sanctions Zimbabwe over fan death, pitch invasion at National Sports Stadium

Zimbabwe have been ordered to play their next home international match behind closed doors after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) sanctioned the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) over the death of a fan and pitch invasion after the Warriors’ 2-1 defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The CAF Disciplinary Committee also imposed a fine on ZIFA following the incidents, which occurred at the National Sports Stadium on September 28.

The match marked Zimbabwe’s first fixture at the National Sports Stadium since 2021, following renovations aimed at bringing the venue back up to international standards.

However, the return to the refurbished stadium was overshadowed by the fatal incident at Gate 2, where a supporter died during a stampede shortly before the match.

There was also a post-match pitch invasion by fans, an incident that contravenes CAF regulations.

CAF’s sanction is a setback for Zimbabwe, which had only recently regained the right to host international matches at the National Sports Stadium after years of renovation work and stadium-related restrictions.

The Warriors’ next home international match against Equatorial Guinea will therefore be played without supporters as ZIFA serves the CAF punishment.