With 24 hours to go before the 2026 World Cup qualifier between Côte d'Ivoire and Seychelles at Stade d'Ebimpé, there's a sense of pressure and concern about the pitch, which has been under renovation since September 13, 2023.
Superstitions die hard in Africa. A few days ago, the Prime Minister, Beugré Mambé, went to meet the chiefs of the village of Ebimpé, where the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara was built to host the opening match and final of the AFCON 2023, to be held in Côte d'Ivoire in 2024. This was to clear up any misunderstandings about the purging of customary rights in the area.
He emerged with the blessing of the village chiefs, who welcomed the initiative and ordered him to "deliver the infrastructure", implying that events such as the rain on September 12 that spoiled the friendly match between Côte d'Ivoire and Mali would never happen again. Except that the fear has not yet disappeared among the population and even the authorities. Although training for the Côte d'Ivoire national team was scheduled to take place on the rehabilitated pitch for the 3rd time in two years, on Thursday November 16 it was simply cancelled and moved to the Lycée Classique in the heart of the town.
He left with the blessing of the village chiefs, who welcomed the initiative and instructed him to "deliver the infrastructure", implying that events such as the rain on September 12 that spoiled the friendly match between Côte d'Ivoire and Mali would never happen again. Except that the fear has not yet disappeared among the population and even the authorities. Although the Ivorian national team's training session was scheduled to take place on the rehabilitated pitch for the 3rd time in two years, on Thursday, November 16, it was simply cancelled and moved to the Lycée Classique in the heart of the Cocody commune.
The Ebimpé stadium pitch, which has been fully recovered since September 14, 2023, is only 2 months old.
It's a young pitch.The 12cm rooting level is satisfactory. According to Pro Pitch, the expert firm commissioned by the CAF, infiltration tests are good and enable the pitch to cope with heavy precipitation and sustained rainfall. The pitch played host to a 2nd division test match on Thursday November 9. It was damaged in places by the harshness of the game. The Gregori company is currently upgrading the pitch. In all responsibility and in order to offer optimal pitch conditions, the ONS and FIF have suggested that the pitch should not be subjected to any further aggression as a result of the training sessions on Thursday November 16", stated the ONS in a press release on November 15, 2023. A letter that has heightened anxiety once again, just hours before the first World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Côte d'Ivoire and Seychelles.
Quick visit to reassure himself
Idriss Diallo, president of the Fédération Ivoirienne de Football and first vice-president of COCAN, took the bull by the horns on November 16, 2024, just 24 hours before the all-important match. He went to investigate the state of the pitch. He found nothing to complain about, except that a few moments later, rain fell on Abidjan but it was fine. We don't know whether it will have a negative effect on the turf. What's more, to ensure the Stade looks its best on November 17, 2023, the athletics track was being spruced up at the time of Jean-Louis Gasset's pre-match press conference. Apart from the ONS press release, no official voice spoke out on the sacred Ebimpé turf. No doubt for fear of being taken to task on its quality on the big day.
