With less than five days to kick off Africa’s biggest football event, the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, hosted by Cote d’Ivoire, begins Friday.
PUNCH Online reports that the AFCON 2023 will take place in six stadiums.
According to CAFOnline, they include: Olympic Stadium of Ebimpe, Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium, Peace Stadium, Stadium of Korhogo, Laurent Pokou Stadium, and Charles Konan Banny Stadium, all in the host country.
Here is all you need to know about the six stadiums:
Olympic Stadium of Ebimpe
The stadium, which can hold 60,000 people, was constructed in Abidjan between 2016 and 2020.
The tournament’s opening and closing ceremonies will take place at the Olympic Stadium of Epimbe, which is situated in the nation’s economic center, the city of Abidjan.
One of the main infrastructure legacies of the competition for the host country is the 60,000-seat stadium, which will create several job possibilities once the final siren is sound.
Notably, the multipurpose venue’s development got underway in 2016, marking the start of the world-class venue’s construction.
On October 3, 2020, it was formally opened in front of prominent government ministers and officials, followed by a pre-match exhibition between Asec Mimosas and Africa Sports Abidjan, two of the biggest clubs in the country.
The Olympic Stadium is a multipurpose stadium with a big hosting capacity and several top-notch amenities, including an athletic track, conference rooms, gyms, an auditorium, and VIP areas.
Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium
Constructed in 1952, the 29,000-seat stadium is located in Abidjan. The renovations took place in 2021 and 2023.
Dedicated to President Felix Houphouet-Boigny, the first Head of State of the nation and the creator of Cote d’Ivoire, one of the nation’s historic sites will serve as home to Africa’s largest event for the second time, having served as one of the two host venues in 1984.
The stadium is undergoing extensive improvements to its structural layout, seats, pitch, locker facilities, and hospitality suites in order to comply with the necessary CAF requirements.
Before the competition, the venue’s seating capacity has been increased to 33,000, along with other infrastructure enhancements.
The Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium not only holds football matches but also features an athletic track and has served as the site of several important sporting events in Abidjan.
Peace Stadium
Built in 1983, the 40,000-seat stadium is located in Bouake. The renovations took place in 2019 and 2023.
The Peace Stadium, one of the most famous football stadiums in Cote d’Ivoire, will hold its second TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations after serving as one of the host sites in 1984. Peace Stadium is situated in Bouake, the country’s second-largest city.
The thrilling 5-4 penalty shootout victory by Cameroon against Algeria in the 1984 TotalEnergies AFCON semifinal, which saw the Indomitable Lions go on to win the championship, is among the most unforgettable moments at the site.
Since then, the stadium has undergone significant renovations, going from its initial 15 000 seats to its current 40 000 seats, among other changes made in advance of the competition.
A fully functional media center, an auditorium, meeting spaces, and an improved spectator parking structure to hold the thousands of people anticipated are among the other enhancements.
Stadium of Korhogo
The 20,000-seat stadium was constructed in Korhogo between 2019 and 2023.
One of the legacies of hosting an international event of the magnitude of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Cote D’Ivoire 2023 is the Stadium of Korhogo, which is situated in the northern section of the city.
The recently constructed stadium will enhance the visual appeal of the city by occupying an expansive 20.17 hectares of land.
A top-notch natural grass field, an athletics track, a media center, a broadcast compound, and other stadium amenities necessary for hosting major international events like the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations will be included in the 20,000 capacity hosting capacity.
Laurent Pokou Stadium
The San Pedro stadium, which can hold 20,000 people, was constructed between 2019 and 2023.
San Pedro Stadium, a stunning architectural structure in Poro’s vibrant cultural district, will be remembered for its contribution to the city’s infrastructure when it hosts the 2023 TotalEnergies AFCON Cote d’Ivoire.
With work set to begin in 2018, the 20,000-seat venue is sure to become a treasure for the Poro area.
Encompassing 23.33 hectares of land, the stadium’s sophisticated architecture will be matched by its top-notch amenities, which include an advanced natural grass field.
Conference rooms, a media center, and other amenities are available as well; these will stimulate the economy long after the last whistle blows.
Charles Konan Banny Stadium
The stadium, which can hold 20,000 people, was constructed in Yamoussoukro between 2019 and 2021.
situated in Yamoussoukro, the capital of the country, which is a hive of commercial activity all the time.
The recently constructed Yamoussoukro Stadium will enhance the city’s economic center of activity following the tournament and is a part of the city’s impressive architecture.
Following two years of development, the stadium opened for football on June 3rd. The game was a qualifier for the TotalEnergies AFCON Cote d’Ivoire 2023 finals, with the hosts defeating Zambia 3-1.
With 20,000 seats, an athletics track, media centers, hospitality suites, and conference centers, Yamoussoukro Stadium offers it all.
Total Energies is the official title sponsor of the AFCON 2023, according to PUNCH Online.
