AFCON OC Boss: Stadiums will be ready six months before

Ivory Coast Fans

Sunday May 15, 2022. 11:00

François Amichia, the president of the Organising Committee (OC) of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in the Ivory Coast, has assured that the country will be tournament ready.

The 34th edition of the AFCON is set to get underway on 23 June next year – that is 405 days away as of Sunday 15 May 2022.

The Ivory Coast is set to use six stadiums for the tournament: Stade National de la Côte d’Ivoire and Stade Felix Houphouët-Boigny, both in Abidjan; Stade Bouaké; Stade de Korhogo; Stade de San Pedro; and Stade de Yamoussoukro.

Three of the six stadiums are reportedly close to being ready, and the West African is country is now accelerating work for the delivery of the venues to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in the weeks leading up to the tournament.

“I can tell you that Côte d’Ivoire will be ready to host this major African football event scheduled for June 23 to July 23,” said François Amichia, as quoted by Africa Foot United.

Only the Felix Houphouët Boigny is experiencing a significant delay, though the OC boss has assured that it will be ready with plenty of time to spare.

“[A] promise was made that it will be ready on December 31 with a small margin, but it will be ready,” he added.

“It is possible because we started working day and night. These are three teams that take turns day and night to be able to meet deadlines.

“The materials are in place. It’s a question of assembly. The pitch and the stands will be ready. We can certify that six months before, the infrastructures will be ready.”