AFCON 2021: Over 30.000 Spectators to Attend Algeria’s First Round Match

Algeria’s national football team will play the ACFON 2021 first-round matches in Cameroon, at Japoma Stadium in Douala, in the presence of nearly 30,000 spectators, according to what was revealed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Algerian Greens will compete in the 33rd AFCON first round in Group E, which includes Sierra Leone, Aq Guinea and the two-time winners Ivory Coast, where it will start the match to defend its title, on January 11, by facing Sierra Leone at 2:00 pm Algeria time, at Japoma Stadium in Douala, Cameroon, before playing against Guinea on January 16 and finally Ivory Coast on January 21.

The Confederation of African Football said, in an official statement, that it had decided, after consulting with the organizers, to reduce the mass attendance of the AFCON finals, which will be launched in Cameroon, to stem the spread of COVID19.

The CAF confirmed that it was decided that the spectators’ attendance would be 80% of the stadium’s capacity in the matches of the host country and 60% for the rest of the tournament matches, especially the Algerian national team matches.

“After several consultations with the Cameroonian government, the Confederation of African Football and the Local Organizing Committee agreed to set a rate for public attendance in the stadiums of the Africa Cup of Nations, ranging between 80 and 60 per cent of the stadiums’ capacity, 80% of the stadium’s capacity will be applied in the matches of the host country only”, the CAF asserted.

Algerian Greens will play the matches of the first round, at the Japoma stadium, or the Douala multi-sports stadium (the official name), which can accommodate about 50,000 spectators, which means that only 30,000 spectators will be allowed to enter the stadium, according to the CAF decision.

Japoma Stadium cost Cameroonians about $143 million, with 75% of the project funded by a Turkish company, and was chosen to host the 2019-20 African Champions League final. It will also host some matches during the 2022 African Cup of Nations (Group E matches), and construction work has begun on this stadium started on February 21, 2017, and ended only late last year.

The African Cup of Nations will start with a confrontation between the hosts Cameroon and Burkina Faso (Group A) at the Olembé Stadium in Yaoundé, which can host 60,000 fans.

“Strict health rules have been established to prevent infection, which will be applied during the finals, and everyone who attends the matches will have to prove that he/she has received the full vaccination, along with a certificate proving that he/she is free of infection.

The AFCON Organizing Committee revealed the prices of tickets on sale sites available in three categories, with prices ranging from 4 to 30 euros. For group matches, fans wishing to enter the stadiums can buy a ticket at 4 euros for the first category and between 7 and 12 euros for the second and third rounds. As for the final match, prices will range between 10 and 30 euros.