Olembe Stadium
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| Full name | Stade Omnisport Paul Biya |
|---|---|
| Location | Olembe, Yaoundé, Cameroon |
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| Owner | Cameroonian Football Federation |
| Capacity | 60,000 |
| Field size | 105 m × 68 m (344 ft × 223 ft) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Scoreboard | Yes |
| Construction | |
| Built | 2018–2021 |
| Opened | 3 September 2021 |
| Construction cost | 163 billion CFA |
| Architect | Studio SHESA architects - arch. Suarez |
| Structural engineer | MJW structures |
| Services engineer | Beta Progetti |
| General contractor | Gruppo Piccini S.A. |
| Tenants | |
| Cameroon national football team (2021–present) | |
Paul Biya Omnisports Stadium (named for the long-ruling president of Cameroon), referred to as the Olembe Stadium and Sport Complex (Stade d'Olembé), is a multi-purpose stadium spanning 84 acres (400,000 sq.m) in Olembé locality, Yaoundé. It is the largest stadium in Cameroon by capacity, holding 60,000 spectators, and is the 9th-largest stadium in Africa by the same measure. Located roughly 13 km from Yaoundé city-centre, the stadium is part of a complex which includes two annex stadia training grounds; a gymnasium with handball, basketball, volleyball and tennis courts; an Olympic-size swimming pool; a shopping mall, museum and cinema; and 5-star hotel with 70 rooms available.[1]
Olembe Stadium was one of the locations chosen to host the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations held in Cameroon, which took place in 2022 because of pandemic-related postponements. It held the opening ceremony and game – which the Cameroon team won 2–1 against Burkina Faso – and the closing ceremony and final, which was held between Senegal and Egypt; Senegal won the tournament.
Construction and Development
[edit | edit source]As Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Prof. Narcisse Mouelle Kombi oversaw the project.
The stadium's official construction cost is put at around $284 million (163 billion CFA) [2] following some financing controversy.[3] The complex is reported to have encouraged the development of other otherwise unutilised areas, with new roads, eating and drinking establishments, hostels, and play grounds among other facilities.[4]
The intended official delivery of first-phase construction, including the main stadium, when the Cameroonian Football Federation would take ownership of the facility, was meant to occur on 30 November 2021, postponed first to 3 December 2021, but was postponed again. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) had expressed concerns throughout the construction process about the pace of completion.[5]
The second-phase of construction, covering the swimming pool and other sports courts, is intended to be completed after the end of AFCON.[6]
The steel-roof of the main stadium, which is decorated in the colours of Cameroon's flag, was designed by Maeg,[7] who specialise in steel structures.
The first match held at the Stadium was on 3 September 2021: a FIFA World Cup African Qualifier game between Cameroon and Malawi, which Cameroon won 2–0.
2022 Africa Cup of Nations Tragedy
[edit | edit source]Before a Round of 16 match between Cameroon and Comoros, a deadly crowd crush occurred at one of the stadium's entrance gates, killing eight people and injuring thirty-eight.[8] The following game was moved to Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium. The disaster reignited the long-time debate about security and safety in Africa's stadiums.
References
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External links
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- Photos at cafe.daum.net/stade
- https://www.cafonline.com/total-africa-cup-of-nations/destination/cities/olembe-stadium
- For further images and details: https://www.crtv.cm/2021/08/olembe-stadium-the-main-field-is-good-to-go/ Archived 2022-12-15 at the Wayback Machine
- https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220206-olembe-tragedy-scars-legacy-of-cameroon-s-cup-of-nations
- https://www.maegspa.com/en/portfolio/paul-biya-stadium
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