CHAN 2022: 500 Ivorian supporters want to "besiege" Nelson Mandela

The Ivorian community of Algiers has decided to be the 12th man behind the Elephants on January 27, 2023 in Baraki against Algeria in the quarterfinals of the CHAN 2022. Five hundred fans have promised to storm the stands of the Nelson Mandela Stadium.

Ivorian fans are organizing themselves to push the Elephants to victory against the Fennecs of Algeria. Sport News Africa has made a tour within the Ivorian community in the neighborhood of Sebala. Gathered at the home of Kady Kamagaté, an Ivorian woman who has been living in Algeria for thirteen years, they are working on a strategy to mark the occasion at the Nelson Mandela Stadium on January 27, 2023.

She runs a restaurant of Ivorian specialties at home. At the entrance of her four-room apartment, perched on the first floor of a bare building, the smell of grilled chicken served with attiéké as a garnish makes you salivate. No Ivorian can remain insensitive to this scent. Once the order is placed, we sit down quietly and listen to the exchanges between supporters.

It is known to all in Algiers. All the tickets of the match Ivory Coast-Algeria in the quarterfinals of the CHAN 2023 notably scheduled on Friday, January 27, have been sold. Thus, nearly 41 thousand Algerian fans will be present in the stands of Nelson Mandela. On their part, the Ivorians expect no less than 500 people. The president of the National Committee of Elephants supporters (CNSE), Adonis, Kouadio, was even present at the meeting of January 25, 2023.

At the end of the discussions, the CNSE, African champion of animation, promised to be alongside the community present in the Algerian capital. Thirty supporters will come from Abidjan, 300 Ivorians living in Algeria will be present, 100 supporters of ECOWAS will be there and more than 100 people from other African countries will complete this contingent. "We were already present for the last group match against Uganda (January 22) to support the Elephants. But it was not well organized. There, with the visit of the president of the CNSE, it should be better. It galvanizes us," said Aka Ephrem, president of Ivorians in the diaspora.

All his compatriots remain convinced that it is necessary to go to give voice to Baraki. Even in small numbers of supporters. However, they plead for CAF and the Ivorian authorities to put special emphasis on the security aspect. "I would love to go to the Stadium to push my team but what about security. We have lived in Algeria long enough to know that they love soccer so much. And there is always the possibility that something could go wrong. So not only will we have to sit close to our leaders. But also that there are agents for us," pleaded Elisée Oulaï.

A handful of people in the group were indeed reassuring. "I have no particular apprehension. No matter the outcome of the game, it will be a party. And for the Algerians, because he is lording over the organization of the AFCON 2025. And for us, because we did not expect the players to arrive at this stage," says Boukaka Gracia, a Congolese whose husband is Ivorian.