The people of Zimbabwe are very keen sports fans. The government itself encourages its people to be physically active by building facilities and gyms to accommodate their sporting interests. Sports activities in Zimbabwe include cricket, rugby union, netball, tennis, handball, golf, swimming, and field hockey but soccer is by far most popular.
Zimbabwe has two professional soccer leagues, the Zimbabwe Football Association and the CBZ’s Premier League. There is also a room for the young lads to have the opportunity to compete with other youth soccer teams from around the world by joining the Youth Soccer League and Youth Olympics Squad.
The Zimbabwe athlete that is very well known in this profession is Knowledge Musona who plays for Kaizer Chiefs as a striker. In July 2010 he was awarded the PSL Club Rookie of the Year award.
One of the biggest sporting facilities in Zimbabwe is the multi-use National Sports Stadium. At this 60,000 capacity stadium football matches and rugby union matches often are conducted.
Zimbabwe has won eight Olympic medals (up until 2018) since they first participated in 1980. Kirsty Coventry took 1 gold, silver and bronze in the 2004 Athens Olympics for swimming and gold and 3 silver for the same sport at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The other medal is a gold) medal from the women field hockey team in 1980.
Below are details of sports, sporting events and sports people related to Zimbabwe. Is there something missing? If you know of something that should be listed here, please let us know.
Popular sports of Zimbabwe
- Football (Soccer), Cricket, rugby union, tennis, netball, field hockey, handball, golf, swimming
Zimbabwe's Sporting Success
- 1995 - in golf, Zimbabwe reached the final of the Dunhill Cup in 1995, where they narrowly lost to Scotland.
- 1997 - Zimbabwe became the World Champions in Polocrosse.
- The Zimbabwe national football team has qualified for the African Cup of Nations twice (2004, 2006)
Great athletes from Zimbabwe
- Kirsty Coventry (swimming)
- Andy Flower (cricket)
- Benjamin "Benjani" Mwaruwari (football)
- Bruce Grobbelaar (football)
Zimbabwe Sports trivia
- Of Zimbabwe's 8 Olympic medals, 7 have been won by swimmer Kirsty Coventry. The other was in field hockey at the 1980 Summer Olympics.
Zimbabwe at major events
- Zimbabwe at the Summer Olympics
- Zimbabwe at the Winter Olympics
- Zimbabwe at the Commonwealth Games
- Zimbabwe at the Cricket ODI World Cup
- Zimbabwe at the Cricket T20 World Cup
- Zimbabwe at the Rugby World Cup
Past sporting events hosted in Zimbabwe
- 2003 Cricket World Cup hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe & Kenya
Upcoming sporting events in Zimbabwe
- 2027 Cricket World Cup (1-Day) co-hosted with South Africa and Namibia.
Annual sporting events held in Zimbabwe
- Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League
Sporting Facilities in Zimbabwe
- National Sports Stadium
Is there something missing? If you know of something that should be listed here, please let me know.