ABIDJAN, Jan. 14 — The 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is set to kick off in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire on Saturday, with the host nation aiming for a winning start against Guinea-Bissau. A grand opening ceremony will be held in the Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium in Abidjan, at 6:25pm local time this Saturday, with the opening match taking place at 8pm. With a capacity of 60,000 seats, the stadium looks great with its bird’s nest shape reminiscent of Beijing’s National Stadium. It was inaugurated in October 2020 and renovated a year later to bring it into compliance with the standards of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The tournament brings together 24 teams from across Africa divided into six groups, with the top two from each group and the four best third-placed teams reaching the knockout stage. The competition runs until February 11.
Xinhua
