DeMbare, CAPS To Renew Rivalry

Harare giants Dynamos and former Cup Kings, CAPS United will face off in the Harare Mayor’s Cheer Fund Cup Trophy on the 11th of February 2024 at the new-look Rufaro Stadium.
The match, which is expected to revoke the spirit of the old encounters between the two side, dubbed, “The Battle for Harare” will be used to reopen the new-look Rufaro  Stadium which has been under renovations having last hosted a league match in 2019.
The two football giants that have been homeless for the past season are on the verge of clinching a long term lease agreement with Harare City council over the ownership of the stadium.
While they stand to benefit significantly in the showdown, the Glamour Boys and the Green Machine will immensely change their fortunes, should the envisaged leases see the light of the day.
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume revealed that Harare City council and the two football giants were at an advanced stage in as far as the matter is concerned.
“The two giants are going to be our anchor tenants in this stadium. They will share the stadium and we are going to keep the tenants of this stadium at a minimum to preserve it. We don’t want to see it reverting to a disrepair state it was almost in.
“We are hoping to enter into a long term lease that will go beyond 10 years with the teams,” said Mafume.
Mafume said the stadium was now in its best shape.
“Currently, there is no other stadium with lush turf like the one at Rufaro.”
Both DeMbare and Makepekepe have welcomed the planned lease with the giants saying they stand to benefit financially in the long run.
Dynamos treasurer Beadle Gwasira said Rufaro has always been home to the Glamour Boys.
“Dynamos have built their reputation at Rufaro and the stadium is symbolic to the team,” said Gwasira.
“Having a lease will give us a sense of ownership and that means we will draw value from bill-board advertisements and all the other businesses taking place in the stadium.
“Unlike in the past where we could only rent the stadium to play football and have nothing to do with all the other economic activities taking place before, during and after the match, we will obviously be looking at things differently.
He highlighted that his team is ready to face Makepekepe.
“We enjoyed some dominance over CAPS United last season, beating them three times in different competitions and we will be looking at maintaining that dominance,” he said.
CAPS United executive member Onismas Matsika said there is so much joy in the Green Machine camp over the proposed 10-plus year lease.
“Having a lease for a stadium like Rufaro will be a dream for us. We will take advantage of that and build an empire in terms of our commercialisation drive,” said Matsika.
“There are so many financially beneficial undertakings that we have missed because we would be renting a stadium for match purposes only. But with this lease, we stand to derive a lot of value from our brand as CAPS United”.
This development comes after Shesham football club was leased Bata Stadium last year and it helped refurbish it for the PSL games last season.
The proceeds from the match will go towards charity.