Organizers of the 34th African Cup of Nations (CAN) which is about to begin in Côte d’Ivoire are expecting up to 1.5 million visitors, particularly from qualified neighboring countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea and Ghana. To welcome them, there will be around 20,000 young volunteers, 17,000 members of the police and 2,500 assistance workers in the stadiums.
Ivory Coast has organized the CAN only once, in 1984, a different era: only eight teams lined up, compared to 24 today.
In the economic capital, Abidjan, white balloons with the writing “Akwaba” – “Welcome” in the Akan language – decorate the bridge leading to the Plateau neighborhood and there are plenty of advertising panels with the colors of the selection of the Elephants, the national team.
In the markets, traders accustomed to selling statuettes, masks and fabrics have in recent days also added to their items replicas of the official shirts, sold for the equivalent of around ten euros, and which according to some reports, are literally selling like hotcakes .
The 24 selections will play in five cities: in addition to Abidjan and its two stadiums, the teams will be distributed between the political capital Yamoussoukro, the large city of Bouaké, the port of San Pedro (to the south-west) and Korogo (to the north).
Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football (Caf) has announced its decision to increase the prize money for the winner of the 34th edition of the next Can to $7 million, an increase of 40%. [Da Redazione InfoAfrica]
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