African Nations Cup matches may now be seen live in Abuja thanks to the opening of the “AFCON Village” on Saturday by Amb. Kalilou Traore, the Côte d’Ivoire ambassador to Nigeria.
Twenty-four nations competed for the most coveted football trophy on the continent as the tournament got underway in Cote d’Ivoire.
According to Traore, live matches will be broadcast from the AFCON village, which was established in collaboration with Continental Hotels, until the competition concludes on February 11.
The ambassador claims that the gathering, which was attended by diplomats, is evidence of the extraordinary unity and solidarity of Africa.
“I want to thank everyone for joining us, including the diplomatic corps, all of our visitors, and the diaspora.
“I hope all of the participating teams have success in the competition. May this African Cup of Nations serve as a platform for joy, sportsmanship, and unity among African countries.
“I cordially encourage you to make the most of this evening by fully immersing yourself in the distinctive ambiance of AFCON 2023, the opening ceremony, and the opening game between Guinea-Bissau and Cote d’Ivoire.
The envoy prayed that the occasion would “strengthen the ties between our countries and leave a positive legacy for African football.”
Traore told members of the public that the tournament will live up to its billing as the host government and the people of Cote d’Ivoire had completely mobilized to exhibit “the most beautiful AFCON ever organised”.
“Huge expenditures have been made, and attendance is quickly surpassing all previous records. The Embassy of the Cote d’Ivoire in Nigeria could no longer ignore this enormous bulk.
Thus, in association with our partner Abuja Continental Hotel, all competitive matches will be shown at the AFCON village in Abuja throughout this month.
He expressed gratitude to the Nigerian government and hotel management for helping to build up the AFCON village.
The general manager of the Abuja Continental Hotel, Mr. Javier Sanchez, stated during his statement that the goal of the partnership with the embassy was to make the event a success.
“We were planning to do this, but the ambassador of Côte d’Ivoire as the hosting country really pushed us to go ahead and put all these up,” he stated.
The diplomatic community, private organizations, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials were present at the occasion.