Barbourfields meets FIFA standards

Proprietor of the facility, the Bulawayo City Council (BCC), has already reduced the height of the 120 metre perimeter fence from 2.5 metres to 1.5 metres. Mackenzie Moyo, the assistant director of Housing and Community Services, said the refurbishment of the stadium would be done in phases. He said this was so to enable the smooth running of premier soccer league matches. Renovations at the stadium have commenced. The council has decided to use part of its meagre resources for this exercise. It sent a budget proposal for possible funding but no response has been received yet, Moyo said.
He said the city was gearing itself for the 2010 world cup to be hosted by South Africa.
In April, a Special Taskforce Team toured Barbourfields and commended BCC for its superb maintenance of the facility and promised to forward a budget to the government for renovations.
Moyo said after these renovations the match would be eligible to host international matches.
The football governing body, ZIFA made it clear to us that international matches would only be held at Barbourfields Stadium after renovations. It is our hope that they would stick to their word so that future national team games could be held in the city, said Moyo.
Besides the trimming down of the perimeter fence, BCC would also renovate the changing rooms, players’ entry to the stadium, medical room, referees’ room, FIFA office, media cubicles, provision of a borehole and generator, seat numbering and VIP stands.