In a few hours, the African Cup of Nations football tournament will kick off in Cameroon. The 33rd edition which will have 24 teams, will open with the host country Cameroon trading tackles with Bourkina Faso. THEBLADENGR.COM, brings you the inside gist of the six stadia that will host the one-month football tournament…
Paul Biya(Olembe) Stadium, Yaounde
The Paul Biya Stadium, named after President Paul Biya, is a multi-purpose stadium on a surface area of 34 hectares (84 acres) in the Olembe neighborhood in Yaounde, some 13 km (8.1 mi) from the city center. The stadium is the largest in all of Cameroon, ninth largest in Africa. The Olembe Stadium will host the opening and closing ceremonies of the 33rd edition of the African Cup of Nations. The sports complex includes the Paul Biya Stadium, two training grounds, a gymnasium, handball, basketball, volleyball, tennis, an Olympic swimming pool, a 5 star hotel with 70 rooms, a shopping mall, a museum and a cinema.
Stade Ahmadou Ahido, Yaounde
Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Yaoundé, Cameroon. It is used mostly for football matches and it also has athletics facilities. It was built in 1972. The stadium has been renovated in 2016 ahead of the African Women Cup of Nations tournament. It has a capacity of 42,500 seats.
It is the home stadium of Canon Yaoundé, Tonnerre Yaoundé and the women’s club Louves Minproff. The stadium is also known as the home venue of the Cameroonian national football team, who drew the stadium’s record attendance of 120,000 in a football match in the 1980s.
Japoma Stadium, Douala
The Japoma Stadium is located in the Japoma locality in Douala. It is a 50,000-capacity all-seater multi-purpose stadium which has football, basketball, handball, futsal, volleyball and tennis courts, an olympic swimming pool of 8 lanes, conference centers, commercial centers, a luxury hotel and a parking lot. The stadium also has an athletic track.
Roumde Adija Stadium, Garoua
Stade Roumdé Adjia is a multi-purpose stadium in Garoua, Cameroon. It is currently used mostly for football matches. It serves as a home ground of Cotonsport Garoua. The stadium holds 30,000 people and was built in 1978. The capacity is 30,000 people. It was renovated by Portuguese group Mota-Engil. This is where the Super Eagles of Nigeria will play their group games.
Kouekong Stadium, Bafoussam
Kouekong Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Kouekong, a suburb of Bafoussam, Cameroon. It is used mostly for football matches and it also has athletics facilities. The stadium has seats for 20,000 people. It was built in 2015 and inaugurated on April 30, 2016.
Limbe Stadium, Limbe
Limbe Omnisport Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Limbe, Cameroon. It is used mostly for football matches and it also has athletics facilities. The stadium has seats for 20,000 people. It was built in 2012 and inaugurated on January 26, 2016. It is one of the few stadiums in the world built on a hill and has a stunning view of the sea.
*Additional stories from wikipedia
