National Teams
Afcon 2023: Nigeria victory over Cote d’Ivoire break attendance record
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
With an attendance of 49,517, Thursday’s Group A encounter between Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria broke the attendance record for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
36,858 spectators had watched Cote D’Ivoire beat Guinea Bissau 2-0 in the opening match of AFCON 2023. The West African derby broke the tournament attendance record with 49,517 people in the 60,012-capacity Stadium.
Ahead of the game, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced that the match had been sold out – the encounter eventually ended 1-0 in favour of the three-time African champions.
The overwhelming response from fans led to a sold-out match at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Ebimpe and Stadium boasts a maximum approved holding capacity of 50,000 seats.
This figure represents the total number of tickets that were available for sale, all of which have been purchased.
With the latest record, the match surpassed the one recorded during the opening match of the tournament between Cote D’Ivoire and Guinea Bissau.
William Troost Ekong’s second-half penalty silenced the host and raised the Super Eagles’ hope of progressing from the group. More fans are expected to attend games as the tournament approaches the crucial stages.
