THE Zimbabwe Warriors are set to return to Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, South Africa, next month for a crucial 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier against neighbours Bafana Bafana. The Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) confirmed the development, ending a period of speculation after plans to host the match in Botswana fell through. A “home” fixture for the Warriors, the match will be played on Friday October 10, 2025, at 1500hrs CAT.
This marks the fifth different home venue in three countries for the Warriors in their unsuccessful World Cup qualification campaign since the country’s Fifa suspension was lifted. The team’s struggles to secure a home ground come as no surprise, with a lack of a CAF-approved stadium in Zimbabwe forcing the team to play all its home matches away from home. Zimbabwe has previously used Huye Stadium in Rwanda and Orlando Stadium in South Africa for World Cup qualifiers, as well as the Mandela National Stadium in Uganda and Peter Mokoba Stadium in South Africa for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
This will be their second time using Moses Mabhida Stadium this year, having hosted Benin there in March. The switch to Durban comes after the Botswana Football Association (BFA) confirmed that the Francistown Sports Complex, initially considered a potential venue, was unavailable due to a clash of dates with their own qualifier against Uganda. Fifa regulations prohibit such back-to-back fixtures, leaving Zifa with no choice but to seek an alternative venue.
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While the Warriors’ World Cup dreams are already over, with the team sitting at the bottom of Group C without a single win, the match against Bafana Bafana still carries significant weight. For Hugo Broos’ high-flying South African side, who are on the brink of securing their spot at the 2026 finals, the fixture is a final step toward qualification. For Zimbabwe, it is an opportunity to salvage some pride and demonstrate their fighting spirit against a familiar rival.
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