A guide to stadiums hosting AFCON in Egypt

CAIRO - 8 January 2018: CAF Executive Committee announced on Tuesday that Egypt will host the 2019 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) matches.

Egypt won the rights to host the tournament after being selected over South Africa.

The 2019 African Cup of nations was initially scheduled to be hosted by Cameroon. However, Cameroon was stripped of hosting the tournament for serious delays in preparations.
Egypt is the most successful nation in the history of the competition as Egypt has won a record of seven titles including three in a row between 2006 and 2010.

Egypt has been known for its ability to host the biggest sports tournaments as the country has one of the best infrastructures in the continent, besides the huge passion of its people towards sports, especially football.

Since 1996, a total of 16 teams were allowed to participate at the tournament but for the first time in history, 24 nations will compete to win the title in 2019.

Since the launch of Egypt's official bid to host the tournament, the Egyptian Football Federation announced the stadiums which would host the games.

Egypt Today presents in the below lines information about six stadiums expected to host the tournament.


CAIRO

Cairo will host two groups including the group of Egypt national team.

Cairo has many stadiums that can host the games, but the Football Federation announced that Cairo International Stadium and Al-Salam Stadium are chosen ones to host the tournament.

Cairo International Stadium



Located in Nasr City, Giza, Cairo International stadium has been a luck magnet to the Egyptian national team as it hosted the AFCON finals three times, and managed to achieve the title in two of them, in 1986 and 2006.

Opened in 1960, the Cairo International Stadium is the historic home ground for Al-Ahly, Zamalek and the national team.

It is the largest stadium in the capital with all-seated capacity of 75,000 and it is expected to host the opening game and the Final.

Beside hosting the AFCON, Cairo Stadiums hosted many major tournaments like the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup, 1991 All-Africa Games and the derbies between Al-Ahly and Zamalek.

Al Salam Stadium



The stadium has emerged to be the alternative of Cairo International Stadium and it hosted many games for Al-Ahly and Zamalek.

The Stadium located in Al Salam Stadium opened in 2009 with with an all-seated capacity of 30,000

Alexandria

The Mediterranean city of Alexandria is the the second largest city of Egypt, and has been a permanent co-host to sports events alongside Cairo.

Hosted the AFCON tournament in 2006, both Alexandria Stadium and Haras El Hodoud Stadium are highly expected to host the games this year as well.


Alexandria Stadium



They call it the home of football as the first football game ever played in Egypt was on its soil, even before the stadium was established. Built in 1929, Alexandria Stadium is considered the oldest football stadium in Egypt and Africa.

The stadium is the home ground for local teams from Alexandria like: Al Ittihad, Smouha and Olympic Clu, while the passionate football fans in the city used to pack its 20,000 seats.

Haras El-Hodoud Stadium



It has emerged to be one of the best stadiums in the nation with a capacity of 22,000 persons and it has been the home ground for Haras El-Hodoud.


The Canal region stadiums

The three cities of the Canal region, Ismailia, Port Said and Suez will be the hosts of the other three groups of the tournament.


Suez Stadium



It is a historic moment for the people in Suez as their 27,000 seated stadium will host an International tournament for the first time ever.

The stadium was opened in 1990 and it is the home ground of the city's local teams like: Asmant El-Suweis, Petrojet and Montakhab el-Suez.

Port Said Stadium



The host of this tournament is decisive to the football fans in Port Said as it will revive their historic stadium which was suspended from football relative events following the Port Said Stadium massacre in 2012.

The stadium has the capacity of 18,000 seats and it is the home ground for Port Said's beloved club, Al Masry.

Ismailia Stadium



Known as the city of arts of and football, Ismailia is one of the most beautiful cities in Egypt, and is located in the North East of the country. The fans will enjoy watching African Football again on their 18,000-seated ground.

Egypt hosted four African Cup of nations tournaments in 1959, 1974, 1986 and 2006 and they failed to achieve the title only in 1974.