CAF clears Heroes Stadium for Chipolopolo's AFCON qualifier against Burundi on 13 November

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has granted National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka temporary approval to host international matches in November, and the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has moved Zambia's 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Burundi from Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola to the Lusaka ground. The senior match is on 13 November. The approval is a temporary Category 3 approval. CAF sent it to FAZ in a letter dated 28 October, after a team assessed the stadium from 19 to 22 October. A second fixture has moved with it: Zambia's Under-23 qualifier for the 2028 Olympic Games, against Burkina Faso on 15 November, will also be played at Heroes. FAZ General Secretary Charles Chakatazya confirmed the change. He said the assessment "confirms that the stadium meets the key requirements for hosting CAF/FIFA matches", thanked the government for the renovation work, and urged supporters to come out in numbers. He also said some outstanding issues must be settled before CAF carries out another assessment, so the approval does not yet cover matches beyond November. ## Background Heroes is Zambia's national stadium and has been under renovation, with the government paying for upgrade works. For a venue to host CAF and FIFA matches it has to pass a technical inspection, and CAF can grant a temporary approval while it waits for the remaining work to be finished. In this case CAF has said concerns remain, and it will inspect again before it decides on anything longer than November. ## Why it matters For supporters in Lusaka and the districts around it, the Burundi match is now in their own city rather than a long trip to the Copperbelt. For FAZ, the approval means the national teams can play at home in the capital this month. The 13 November qualifier is part of Zambia's route to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, so where it is played and how many fans can attend affects the team's home advantage. ## What happens next Zambia plays Burundi at Heroe