Samoura, now an Advisory Board member of the African Collaborations Group (ACG), said Zimbabwe’s infrastructure crisis was not necessarily due to a shortage of money, but a lack of projects that investors could confidently finance. The post Make sport bankable, ex-FIFA boss tells Zim appeared first on Zimbabwe Independent .
FORMER FIFA secretary-general Fatma Samoura has challenged Zimbabwe to rethink its approach to sports infrastructure development, saying the country can attract private and institutional capital by developing commercially sustainable facilities.
Samoura, now an Advisory Board member of the African Collaborations Group (ACG), said Zimbabwe’s infrastructure crisis was not necessarily due to a shortage of money, but a lack of projects that investors could confidently finance.
Zimbabwe has struggled for years to maintain facilities capable of hosting major international sporting events. For five years, the country had no CAF-accredited stadium after the National Sports Stadium, Barbourfields and Rufaro were flagged for failing to meet international standards.
The National Sports Stadium recently regained approval to host international matches following rehabilitation, while other facilities, including Magamba Hockey Stadium and Chitungwiza Aquatic Complex, continue to deteriorate.
Samoura said the solution should not simply be another government-funded refurbishment programme, but a new business model for sports infrastructure.
“What is preventing investment is not a lack of capital or political will. It is the absence of bankable projects,” Samoura told Independent Sport in an exclusive interview.
“Development finance institutions have funds allocated for African infrastructure, but they cannot deploy them because no one is bringing them investable opportunities structured to institutional standards.”
She said Zimbabwe could benefit from ACG’s Victory District model, which moves beyond standalone stadiums towards integrated sport and entertainment developments capable of generating revenue throughout the year.
“Africa does not lack ambition when it comes to sport. What it lacks is the infrastructure ecosystem that allows sport to function as a real economic sector,” she said.
“The Victory District concept moves beyond single-venue development towards integrated, mixed-use districts that generate revenue 365 days a year, not just on matchdays.”
Samoura said Zimbabwe had the sporting culture and demand for quality facilities, but needed to create conditions that would give investors’ confidence.
“What it needs is a clear pathway to turn that passion into infrastructure investors can actually finance: transparent regulatory frameworks for public-private partnerships, government willingness to grant mandates to credible development partners, and a commitment to projects that pay for themselves rather than depending on public subsidy,” she said.
Under the model, developments could include stadiums, indoor arenas, aquatics centres, training facilities, hotels, conference centres, retail outlets, restaurants, offices, residential apartments, public parks and transport infrastructure.
Samoura said such a project in Harare could create jobs, boost tourism, support athlete development and provide a year-round calendar of sporting and entertainment events.
“For a city like Harare, the impact would be transformative,” she said.
She also sees scope to link sport with Zimbabwe’s tourism industry, particularly Victoria Falls.
“Sport and tourism are natural partners, and Zimbabwe has extraordinary assets on both sides,” she said.
“A Victory District in Zimbabwe would create a new reason to visit, not instead of Victoria Falls, but in addition to it.”
Samoura said sustainability should be considered before construction begins, warning against facilities designed for major events without viable long-term operating models.
“Operations, maintenance, and revenue must be planned before construction begins, not after handover,” she said.
She urged government to focus on enabling investment rather than building and operating facilities itself.
“The private sector brings discipline, capital, and operational expertise; the government brings legitimacy, land, and political commitment. ACG brings the origination capability that connects the two.”
Samoura said the model could ultimately help Zimbabwe shift from viewing sports infrastructure as a government expense to treating it as an investable economic proposition.
The post Make sport bankable, ex-FIFA boss tells Zim appeared first on Zimbabwe Independent.
Follow the story
