Dynamos FC Chooses Orlando Stadium in South Africa as Their Home Ground for the CAF Confederations Cup Due to Stadium Shortages in Zimbabwe

Dynamos FC, the celebrated giants of Zimbabwean football, are gearing up for a thrilling journey in the CAF Confederations Cup this season.

Their home games will be hosted at Orlando Stadium, a popular venue in South Africa, due to a shortage of CAF-approved stadiums back home.

While Dynamos FC is making its mark in the second-tier African inter-club competition, Ngezi Platinum Stars, the reigning champions, are taking part in the CAF Champions League for the 2024/25 season.

Unfortunately, both teams are encountering significant hurdles because there are no suitable stadiums in Zimbabwe that meet CAF’s standards.

In a situation reminiscent of The Warriors’ recent World Cup qualifiers, where they had to play their home games away from Zimbabwe, Dynamos FC has chosen Orlando Stadium for their upcoming matches.

The Warriors had previously played at Orlando Stadium on June 7, facing a 2-0 defeat against Lesotho.

Dynamos FC’s Decision Explained

Dynamos FC will kick off their campaign at Orlando Stadium with a preliminary round match against ZESCO United from Zambia.

The Confederations Cup fixtures are set to take place between August 17 and August 24.

Club CEO Moses Maunganidze shared the reasoning behind their choice of venue.

He highlighted the support received by Zimbabwean teams during the World Cup qualifiers and expressed optimism about their upcoming games.

“Orlando Stadium offers us a significant advantage. There are many Zimbabweans living in South Africa who are eager to support Dynamos FC.

We’ve coordinated with ZIFA for the logistics, and since our match against ZESCO falls on a weekend, we’re expecting a strong turnout from Zimbabweans in South Africa,” Maunganidze said.

He continued, “Our primary choice is Orlando Stadium, but if our match had been against a different team, we might have considered the National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka.

Zambia’s capital is closer to Harare compared to other capitals in the SADC region.

However, we’ve also lined up other approved venues in Zambia, Botswana, and Mozambique as backup options if Orlando Stadium or FNB Stadium isn’t available.”

Looking Ahead

Dynamos FC is hopeful that their choice of Orlando Stadium will create a familiar and supportive atmosphere for their crucial matches, enhancing their chances of success in the CAF Confederations Cup.