Attendances Capped for AFCON Matches in Cameroon

Attendances at the Africa Cup of Nations starting on Sunday in Cameroon will be capped at 80 per cent of capacity for games involving hosts Cameroon, and 60 per cent for all other matches at the tournament.

The move by organisers Confederation of African Football (CAF) comes following consultation with the Cameroon government regarding the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Spectators must be fully vaccinated and present a negative test result in order to attend games.

Just 2 per cent of people in Cameroon have had both vaccination jabs, according to figures from Our World in Data but reports indicate there has been an increase in the number of people in the country trying to get vaccinated so they can buy tickets for the competition.

“CAF will continue to monitor the situation and the evolution of the health conditions and adapt measures if needs be,” said a statement from African football’s governing body.

Cameroon will open the tournament against Burkina Faso at the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde, which has a capacity of 60,000, on Sunday (16:00 GMT).

Cameroon’s Group A opponents Cape Verde have reported several cases at their pre-tournament training camp, with coach Bubista revealed to be among their latest positive tests.

The Blue Sharks have six players – including two goalkeepers – isolating ahead of their match against Ethiopia on Sunday.

Senegal, runners-up in 2019, delayed their departure for the tournament after Saliou Ciss, Mamadou Loum and Habib Diallo tested positive, with other cases suspected.

Tunisia forward Seifeddine Jaziri and winger Youssef Msakni have also tested positive this week.

Jaziri was top scorer at the FIFA Arab Cup in Qatar in last month, with four goals as Tunisia reached the final where they lost 2-0 to Algeria. Msakni is going to appear at his seventh successive Nations Cup in Cameroon.