2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations in handball: Leopards' elegance set to pack the hall

In the DRC, everybody is talking about the 26th edition of the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations in handball, which starts on Wednesday in Kinshasa. Social media has exploded since the Leopards arrived in Kinshasa for their final training camp. The public has been struck by the players' elegance, something unusual in Congolese sport.

A big crowd expected

In Kinshasa, nobody wants to miss the chance to see the Leopards live. On social media, everyone is promising to come to the hall to see the Congolese players and cheer them on. With a capacity of only 3,000, the hall could end up turning people away. "I wouldn't miss this competition for anything in the world. I have to see these girls with my own eyes," said André, a social media user.

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Comments like this are everywhere online, even in the different neighbourhoods of Kinshasa, where the competition is proving a huge hit. "It's my first time seeing sportswomen this beautiful, it makes you want to go and support them," said Richard, a resident of the Cité Verte neighbourhood. The Leopards have become social media stars, with their photos widely shared.

A first title awaited for the DRC

With this excitement around the Women's Africa Cup of Nations in handball, the Leopards have every chance of going for their first continental title. Bronze medallists twice (2012 and 2018) and silver medallists once (2012), the Congolese can draw on the backing of their fans to win that first title missing from their honours list. "It's wonderful, it doesn't happen every day that the Africa Cup of Nations is staged here. We really need our supporters to push us towards the title," said Christiane Mwassessa, captain of the DRC national team.

All of the DRC's group-stage matches have been scheduled for 18:00 so that as many supporters as possible can come to the hall.