Stampede Kills 1 at Zimbabwe’s First Home AFCON Qualifier in 5 Years Against DR Congo

• A stampede at the National Sports Stadium in Harare turned deadly during Zimbabwe's 2027 AFCON qualifier against the DRC
• Thousands of fans packed the venue for Zimbabwe's first international home match in five years, raising questions about crowd management
• Police have launched a formal investigation into the incident and confirmed a full report will be released

One person has died following a stampede at the National Sports Stadium in Harare, where Zimbabwe hosted the Democratic Republic of Congo in a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match on Saturday.

Zimbabwe police confirmed the fatality and announced that an investigation has been opened. A comprehensive report is expected to follow as authorities gather more information about how the crush unfolded.

**Tragedy Strikes Zimbabwe's Long-Awaited Return**

The match marked Zimbabwe's first international home fixture in five years. The National Sports Stadium had previously been barred from hosting CAF-sanctioned matches after failing to meet the Confederation of African Football's infrastructure standards. Saturday's qualifier represented a significant occasion for supporters, with thousands converging on the venue in anticipation of the country's return to home soil.

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The scale of the crowd is believed to have contributed to the dangerous conditions that led to the stampede, though police have not yet released a detailed account of the sequence of events.

**Zimbabwe Lose Despite Passionate Home Support**

On the pitch, the occasion ended in disappointment. Zimbabwe fell to a 2-1 defeat against the DRC, despite the backing of the large home crowd that had gathered for the historic occasion.

Police said the investigation remains active and that a full report would be made available in due course.

Source: Briefly News