The recent approval of Zambian stadiums by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has provided a significant advantage to Red Arrows and Zesco United in the upcoming CAF Club competitions. Their opponents, Nyasa Big Bullets from Malawi and Dynamos from Zimbabwe, are now compelled to seek alternative venues abroad for their home matches during the preliminary round. This decision comes as none of the stadiums in Malawi or Zimbabwe met CAF’s standards for the opening rounds of these prestigious tournaments.
In contrast, Zambia’s National Heroes Stadium and Levy Mwanawasa Stadium have both met CAF’s stringent requirements, ensuring a stable and supportive environment for the Zambian clubs. This approval underscores Zambia’s readiness to host international football events and enhances the competitive edge for its clubs on the continental stage.
Currently, CAF has not approved stadiums from 26 countries, highlighting the challenges faced by clubs across Africa in meeting international standards for venue infrastructure. South Africa leads the list with 11 approved stadiums, followed by Morocco, Ivory Coast, and Egypt, each with 6. CAF has indicated that it will update the list before the preliminary rounds to include any additional stadiums that pass inspection, potentially altering the competitive landscape further. This development positions Zambian clubs favorably as they prepare to capitalize on the absence of home-crowd advantage for their opponents
