Mayor Jacob Mafume has set his sights on transforming Harare into a hub for sports development, aiming to establish a thriving sports economy that could surpass one billion dollars.

In a wide-ranging interview with Zim Now, Mafume outlined a roadmap that combines soccer revitalization, stadium modernization, and youth engagement through diverse sporting disciplines.

“We are quite happy with the soccer season thus far, it has brought interest to Harare sports economy. Our target is to establish a sports economy that can exceed a billion dollars in Harare. As you know Sports is money and economy, so our first target was to look at revitalising soccer, the most popular sport that is followed by many people,” he said.

Central to the Mayor’s plan is the revival of Rufaro Stadium, which had not hosted games since 2019. Harare teams returned to the iconic stadium in 2024, initially hosting domestic Premier League matches. Mafume emphasized that creating a “family-friendly environment” was key to drawing crowds back.

“We made the car park a priority because we knew Zimbabweans cannot feel safe if we do not have a good car park, that has been a plus with the partnership that we have with City Park,” he said.

The biggest matches, including the high-profile Scottland vs Dynamos, the Harare derby, have been drawing significant attendance, reinforcing local support and stimulating economic activity around the stadium.

Harare is decentralizing soccer development, with Scottland now training at Mabvuku, Herentals at DZ Stadium, and Caps United at Gwanzura. Mafume envisions turning training sessions into revenue-generating activities, saying it “inspires the youngsters seeing the big stars in Khama Billiat and Knowledge Musona, playing in their neighbourhood.”

The city recently hosted Cosafa Under-17 qualifiers, demonstrating the public’s appetite for international soccer. “You could see how hungry our soccer-loving supporters were. They would fill up the ground because our people are missing international soccer,” Mafume said.

Plans are underway to upgrade Rufaro Stadium to international standards, including TV billboards, electronic screens, and Champions League readiness. Additionally, land in Highglen has been allocated to ZIFA for the construction of a 50,000-seat stadium, expected to cement Harare as a premier international sporting destination.

Mafume’s vision extends beyond football. He aims to revitalize swimming, golf, athletics, and indoor sports facilities. “We are going to make it mandatory for primary schools all around, making swimming key to our sports development, taking inspiration from Kasty Coventry who became Olympic President and was a swimmer,” he said.

Olympic-sized pools in Mufakose and Les Brown will be leveraged to train young athletes, while the city works with golf courses and athletic stadiums to expand sporting opportunities. Indoor activities will also receive upgrades, positioning Harare as a “premier destination for arts and musicians.”

The Mayor highlighted partnerships with local clubs including Dynamos, Yadah, Scottland, Herentals, and Simba Bhora, noting that investment in infrastructure is bringing trophies back to Harare teams that were previously dominated by mining town clubs. “Sports in the country has been promoted by the City Council and if we weaken the associations, they suffer. For golf or sports to prosper, it is because of Council infrastructure,” Mafume said.

Mafume also sees sports as a tool for social development, stating that the initiative will help combat drug and substance abuse, create youth employment, and make weekends a “storyline” for communities across the city.