CAF punishes Zimbabwe after fan’s death and pitch invasion

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has punished Zimbabwe following the death of a fan and a pitch invasion during the Warriors’ 2-1 defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Zimbabwe’s next international home match against Equatorial Guinea will be played behind closed doors after the CAF Disciplinary Committee sanctioned the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) over the incidents at the National Sports Stadium in Harare.

ZIFA has also been fined.

Zimbabwe punished after fan’s death

The incidents happened on 28 September as Zimbabwe hosted DRC in an Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027 qualifier.

The match marked the return of the Warriors to the National Sports Stadium after several years of playing international matches away from home because the venue had failed to meet CAF’s requirements.

However, the long-awaited return was overshadowed by the death of a supporter at Gate 2 shortly before or as the match got underway.

Zimbabwean police confirmed that the incident involved a public-order vehicle and a pedestrian during a crowd crush at around 18:30.

Police said investigations were launched to establish exactly what happened.

The Zimbabwean government also said it was investigating the circumstances surrounding the death after supporters gathered at the stadium ahead of the match.

The tragedy came as thousands of supporters turned up to watch Zimbabwe play its first competitive international at the stadium since 2021.

Pitch invasion adds to Zimbabwe’s problems

Zimbabwe’s problems did not end with the fatal incident.

After the final whistle, supporters invaded the pitch following the Warriors’ 2-1 defeat to DRC. The incident breached CAF regulations and became another factor in the disciplinary action against ZIFA.

The defeat itself saw DRC claim a second victory in Group E, with Yoane Wissa and Samuel Moutoussamy scoring before Zimbabwe pulled one back through Marshall Munetsi in added time.

CAF’s punishment means Zimbabwe will now lose home support for its next international fixture.

Zimbabwe’s return home takes another blow

The sanction comes shortly after Zimbabwe finally regained the use of the National Sports Stadium for international football.

The Warriors had previously been forced to host matches in countries including South Africa, with Orlando Stadium, Moses Mabhida Stadium and Peter Mokaba Stadium among the venues used.

Zimbabwe also played home fixtures in Botswana, Rwanda and Uganda during the period.

The return to Harare was therefore expected to mark a new chapter for Zimbabwean football.

Instead, the fan’s death and subsequent pitch invasion have resulted in CAF punishment, leaving Zimbabwe to host Equatorial Guinea without its supporters.