How Afcon is triggering development, healing in Cote d’Ivoire

In Abidjan

Cote d’Ivoire’s extravagant hosting of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations has received mixed critiques among sports enthusiasts. But local officials say you wouldn’t understand it if you looked at it just from a footballing perspective.

This country’s history has been checkered. At one time, this cocoa producer on the Atlantic coast was once a beacon of peace. Then it fell into civil war, restored peace, and then followed that with another series of violent disruptions that got a former president indicted at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

It all began in 1999 after the country fell into military hands. Though a semblance of normalcy returned with Laurent Gbagbo's ascension to the presidency in 2000, the simmering pot of political discontent bubbled over, erupting into violent riots that ripped through the nation's fabric.

Two camps, sharply divided as night and day, emerged. Gbagbo's government, clinging to power with teeth bared, clashed with the opposition led by President Alassane Ouattara, who embodied the dreams of a different future. Their struggle became a gruesome dance of death, fueled by ethnic tensions and historical grievances.

Two decades later, all seemed to have calmed, and folks went to their usual business. AFCON 2023 is seen as a good show to the world to indicate that Cote d’Ivoire has healed and will never return to the dark past.

Yet football is always a tool to bring people together. Local football legend Didier Drogba, for example, is credited for helping the country heal from its initial cracks when he convinced rebels to lay down their arms and allow a football match between Ivoirians and Madagascar in Bouake, Central Cote d'Ivoire.

Bouake, of course, is now one of the host cities for the AFCON, having had facilities constructed over the years in preparation for this tournament.

Over two decades later, 13 years after the civil war ended, the West African country hosts the biggest football showpiece on the continent. It’s the second time the country has staged this competition. The first happened some 40 years ago. Back then, the AFCON had a much smaller footprint, in 1984 – an eight-team format - with two centres in Abidjan and Bouaké.

This year’s event is bigger - a 24-team tournament, a six-centre, month-long tournament, costing the Ivorian government more than $1 billion. AFCON entered the quarter-final stage on Friday.

While critics fret over the billion-dollar price tag, the president of the Federation of Ivorian Football [FIF] Idriss Diallo paints a vibrant picture of infrastructure bloom and economic rebirth.

A gleaming tapestry of new stadiums – shimmering monuments in the capital Yamoussoukro, Korhogo and Abidjan – stands in stark contrast to the scars of the past. Gone are the days of crumbling arenas, replaced by modern marvels like the Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium, where echoes of past triumphs mingle with the promise of brighter tomorrows.

In 2013, Ivorians had the worst New Year in a stadium. The Houphouët-Boigny stampede in Abidjan resulted in 61 deaths and over 200 injuries, most of them women and children. Part of the reason was that the safety features of the stadium were weak in crowd control.

This Afcon extravaganza is proving to be a springboard for development, with hospitals sprouting in Korhogo and San Pedro, airports taking flight in three cities, and highways weaving a web of connectivity across the land. It's about bridging the regional divide, empowering smaller towns like Bouake and Yamoussoukro to share the spotlight and reap the economic windfall.

The $1 billion investment looks set to transform football from a beloved pastime into a national engine of growth and development.

Local football teams like San Pedro FC and Sewe Sport have been doing at least 3 hours on the road to their nearest stadium. Now they could play in their local 20,000-seater Laurent Pokou Stadium.

“For about 15 years, we had no stadiums in Cote d'Ivoire. We had to go and play away from home for Ivory Coast matches,” explains Diallo.

“The President understood that it was important to offer his young people an environment and conditions where they could flourish."

“The government has spent more than $1bn on the the roads, stadiums and training pitches, hospitals. This investment is not only for football but for the entire country. The people will use the roads and the hospitals too, and sports teams will use the stadiums,” Diallo adds.

Neighbouring countries – Mali, Burkina Faso and Togo – have previously played their home matches in Morocco. This is due to CAF’s bans on stadia that do not meet their standards.

“Hosting their games in Ivory Coast makes much more sense than elsewhere. We saw how packed the Amadou Gon Coulibaly was in Korhogo when Mali played South Africa. They could use it because it’s just 500 km from Bamako (Mali),” says South African football journalist Lorenz Kohler.

The investment goes far beyond the roar of the crowds. Modern hospitals springing up alongside stadiums will bring quality healthcare closer to millions who previously lacked it. Top-notch training pitches with state-of-the-art changing rooms won't just nurture footballing talent; they'll provide world-class facilities for local youngsters and lower-league teams to hone their skills.

Diallo, a football veteran, understands the true power of this initiative. He sees academies, bustling with enthusiastic youngsters, as the breeding ground for future Ivorian legends. Scouts crisscrossing the country, not just Abidjan, will unearth raw talent waiting to be polished. In every Ivorian village, a Didier Drogba might be waiting and this ‘project’ aims to give them a chance to shine.

This isn't just about dribbling and diving - it's about unleashing the collective spirit of a nation. It's about building infrastructure that empowers people, about nurturing dreams on green fields and healing bodies in gleaming hospitals. It's about Côte d'Ivoire rising like a phoenix, its wings ablaze with the passion of a nation united by the beautiful game.

Instead of dusty backlots and makeshift goals, imagine four gleaming diamonds scattered across the host cities: top-quality training pitches, their emerald surfaces kissed by the Ivorian sun. Well-equipped changing rooms, not just cramped and sweaty, but spaces that breathe pride and purpose. These aren't just pitches, they're launchpads for dreams.

No longer relegated to the shadows, lower-division clubs will find a home here, a chance to hone their skills and chase glory. Junior teams, the beating heart of Ivorian football, will blossom in these fertile grounds, their laughter echoing as they chase the impossible.

“It’s a top tournament with top facilities. Everything is high level,” says Bafana Bafana 20-year-old star Thapelo Maseko.

Diallo, a man who's seen the magic of football dance from dusty streets to packed stadiums, knows the power of these facilities. He sees in these pitches not just blades of grass but stepping stones. Every dribble, every tackle, every triumphant roar will be a symphony of development, nurturing the next generation of Ivorian stars. Once confined to the fringes, academics will now stand shoulder-to-shoulder with professional clubs, sharing this fertile ground. Scouts, their eyes peeled for diamonds in the rough, will crisscross the country, no longer limited to the well-trodden paths of Abidjan.

The Ivorian phoenix will rise from these pitches, from the sweat and toil of young hearts. Footballers, doctors, engineers, and leaders are all fuelled by the spirit of the beautiful game. This isn't just about goals and glory; it's about building a brighter future, one perfectly placed pass at a time.

“The academies are very important; from there, you can build good teams. We are trying to improve this across the country because we have lots of players from areas outside Abidjan. It is important to scout players in different parts of the country,” Diallo says.

For entrepreneur Ange N’Guessan, returning to a post-war Cote d'Ivoire felt like a calculated gamble. Now, with three thriving businesses in the hospitality sector since 2021, she personifies the country's audacious spirit. The AFCON, she believes, is a megaphone amplifying this success story, “attracting investors and igniting a tourism boom."

Yet, cautionary whispers linger. Professor Prao Yao Seraphin warns against the pitfalls of "white elephants," echoing concerns about the long-term financial burden. He envisions a future where these grandiose stadiums become empty symbols unless filled with a sustained influx of events and emotional local support.

The road ahead isn't without its potholes. Ultimately, Cote d'Ivoire's AFCON gamble hinges on a delicate balance. Can it translate the billion-dollar investment into long-term prosperity, bridging regional divides and igniting a sustainable economic flame? Or will the echoes of empty stadiums and mounting debt haunt the nation's dreams?

Only time will tell if this audacious leap of faith will propel Cote d'Ivoire to dizzying heights or leave it grappling with the consequences of an overextended dream. But one thing is sure: the 2023 Afcon isn’t just a football tournament but a defining moment in a nation's quest for redemption and rebirth.