This year, six stadiums in Ivory Coast will proudly host AFCON 2023. This will be the 34th AFCON tournament and will be held in four new and two renovated stadiums. Let’s take a closer look at all six stadiums that will host this tournament, which is popular among sports betting fans. By the way, we also recommend Mostbet BD review, one of the most popular bookmakers in Bangladesh and other countries, which offers excellent conditions for betting.
Olympic Stadium Alassan Ouattara
The stadium is located in D’Ebimpe, north of Abidjan. It has a capacity of 60,000 people and opened in 2020. This new sports facility is located in Anyama, on the northern outskirts of Abidjan. Planning and construction began in 2016 specifically for the AFCON tournament. Construction took four years and the total cost of the stadium and surrounding infrastructure was approximately $260 million. A significant portion of the costs were covered by China as a gift for the 30th anniversary of trade cooperation in 2013. The site, designed and built by Chinese companies, partly reflects the architectural features of other stadiums in China.
During the tournament, the stadium will have extensive VIP areas for CAF (Confederation of African Football) and government members, including private boxes. After the end of the tournament, the stadium will become the home arena for the national team. In addition, the stadium can be used to host major athletics and rugby events.
Stade Felix Houphouet Boigny
The stadium, also known as Le Felicia, is located in the center of Abidjan. It was opened in 1964 and has a capacity of 33,000 spectators. This stadium was previously the main arena for the national team before the construction of the Olympique Alassane Ouattara stadium. It is named after the first president of Ivory Coast. The Arena Félix Houphouët Boigny was the site of the AFCON finals in 1984, as well as the AFCON tournament in other years. The arena also hosted the 2009 African Nations Championships and the 2017 Francophonie Games. The site has undergone renovations several times throughout its history, with the latest renovation taking place in 2021 to modernize it for AFCON’s needs.
Laurent Poku Stadium
Opening in 2023, the San Pedro Stadium is one of the new venues built specifically to host the AFCON tournament. With a capacity of 20,000 fully covered seats, it has become the home of football action. The arena is named after Laurent Poku, an Ivorian football legend whose record until 2008 was 14 goals in AFCON. The official ball of the tournament was also named after him. The stadium has the status of an Olympic arena where various sports tournaments can be held.
Construction began in April 2019 and was completed in September 2023, with a slight delay due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The stadium has already hosted several Women’s Champions League matches, as well as the last African Cup of Nations qualifying match between Cote d’Ivoire and Lesotho. After the conclusion of the AFCON tournament, the stadium will be used by several teams from San Pedro, previously forced to play their home matches in other cities such as Abidjan.
Charles Conan Bunny Stadium
The stadium in Yamoussoukro, the capital of the country, is one of the city’s most important sports venues. This new arena, whose construction began in January 2019 and was completed in May 2022, hosted a big match within days of its opening: the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Cote d’Ivoire and Zambia.
The stadium’s capacity is up to 20,000 spectators. Construction was planned to be completed in 24 months, but due to the Covid pandemic the process took longer. After the completion of the AFCON tournament, the stadium will be used by local football teams. It is important to note that Yamoussoukro is also home to the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, a minor Catholic basilica that is one of the largest churches in the world.
Stade de La Paix
The stadium in Bouaké was first opened in 1984 to host matches for the African Cup of Nations that year. It is located near the Stade Felix Houphouet Boigny in Abidjan. Before the last AFCON, which began in June 2019 and ended in March 2023, the arena hosted several matches and underwent major renovations. Its current capacity reaches approximately 40,000 people.
Stud Amadou Gon Coulibaly
The Korhogo stadium is one of four newly built facilities. This arena is named after the late Prime Minister of Ivory Coast, Amadou Gon Coulibaly, who served from 2017 to 2020. The official opening of the stadium took place in November 2023. Together with San Pedro, it became the venue for the 2023 Women’s Champions League tournament. Located in the Poro region of northern Côte d’Ivoire, this 20,000-seat stadium features football and rugby pitches, fully covered stands and a tartan athletics track.