Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume on Monday said the city council will avail 40 hectares of land to the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) for the development of Highglen Stadium.

ZIFA president Nqobile Magwizi had paid a courtesy call to the mayor to discuss issues around football infrastructure.

The City of Harare is being criticised for failing to maintain Rufaro Stadium which is one of the two homologated venues in the capital, the other one being Magaya's Heart Stadium in Waterfalls.

Council has failed to maintain sports facilities like the City Sports Centre, Gwanzura Stadium, Zimbabwe grounds and Dzivarasekwa Stadium which are in a deplorable state.

Speaking after the meeting meeting on Monday Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume said the city council will also collaborate on developing Rufaro stadium so it meets FIFA standards.

"We are keen to avail to ZIFA one of our sports grounds which we wanted to develop, a 40-hectare HighGlen stadium.

"The stadium is in our master plan and we are willing to avail it, also we want to work with the ZIFA on Rufaro stadium so that it meets required FIFA standards," said Mafume.

The council will also lease one of its sports clubs for ZIFA's proposed headquarters.

Magwizi said working with the City of Harare is a key step in developing the game.

"We are grateful we have an opportunity that you have presented to us.

"Our idea is to be a well-governed institution and we are more than ready to embrace these facilities you want to avail to us," said Magwizi.

Upon the reopening of Rufaro stadium last year, Mafume promised that by year-end the facility would be meeting CAF-required standards to host international games.

He again vowed to start renovations at Gwanzura stadium in Highfields but it remains a white elephant.