Castle Lager urges action after Chahwanda Stadium violence in PSL match

Castle Lager urges action after Chahwanda Stadium violence in PSL match

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Castle Lager, the main sponsor of the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League (PSL), has warned that growing incidents of crowd violence at local matches risk damaging the league’s reputation and deterring future investment.

The brewer’s concerns follow disorder at Chahwanda Stadium on Sunday during a PSL fixture between Hardrock and Dynamos, which was abandoned before full time after clashes erupted in the second half. An estimated 10 people were reported injured and taken to hospital.

According to the account in the sponsor’s statement, tensions escalated in the 67th minute when Hardrock were awarded a penalty. Wilfred Madzungu converted the spot-kick to make it 1–1. Shortly afterwards, rival supporters ran onto the pitch, disrupting play, as police and security personnel moved in and the teams’ players and staff were escorted off the field.

In its press release, Castle Lager said the violence was unacceptable and did not reflect the values it associates with football in Zimbabwe.

“Football has long held a unifying role in Zimbabwean society—bringing together communities, families, and supporters in a shared celebration of passion, talent, and national pride. Recent events, however, fall short of the spirit of the game and the values we collectively stand for,” the statement read.

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Castle Lager urged PSL leadership, clubs and relevant authorities to investigate the disturbances “decisively and transparently” and to apply disciplinary measures where necessary, warning that continued trouble could undermine confidence in the competition and threaten sponsorship prospects.

“As a longstanding partner of the PSL, Castle Lager strongly condemn all forms of violence and unsportsmanlike behaviour, both on and off the field. The safety of fans, players, match officials and all stakeholders remains paramount,” the statement said.

The sponsor said it was engaging the PSL leadership and would await the outcome of investigations to better understand what triggered the unrest and to support “practical, long-term solutions” aimed at improving safety at Zimbabwe football matches.

Castle Lager also wished those injured a speedy recovery and appealed to supporters to reject violence and back their teams responsibly, saying the game should be experienced in an environment of “safety, respect, fairness and unity”.

The incident has renewed debate about stadium security and fan conduct in the PSL, with calls for firm action against those responsible and stronger measures to prevent similar disruptions at future fixtures.

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