AFCON 2023: Three interesting facts about Stade de la Paix Bouake

The Super Eagles will lock horns with South Africa on Wednesday in the semi-final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations at Stade de la Paix, Bouake.

The tie promises to be an interesting one given the past rivalry between both countries, albeit Nigeria have far better quality players on paper.

Going into the fixture, both teams have never played in Bouake. So, they would have to adjust to playing on a new turf.

Ahead of the semi-finals, Soccernet.ng shares some interesting facts about the Stade de la Paix.

Stade de la Paix is the second-biggest in Ivory Coast

The Stade de la Paix is the second-largest stadium in Ivory Coast in terms of size after the Alassane Ouattara Stadium. The stadium has a 40,000 capacity and is home to Ivorian club FC Bouake. It is also a multi-purpose stadium and has played host to some athletics events.

Stade de la Paix has witnessed eight games in this AFCON
At this AFCON, Bouake has enjoyed its fair share of games as Stade de la Paix has witnessed eight games with an average of 29,767 fans per game. As such, the Super Eagles should expect many fans at the stadium when they play.

The stadium has witnessed upsets, as It was in the same stadium that nine-man Ivory Coast beat Mali 2-1 in the quarter-final. Algeria also lost to Mauritania in the group stage, which knocked them out of the 2023 AFCON.

Nigeria has never lost in Bouake
Nigeria have played three competitive games at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake, and they have never lost any. They played all three of their group games in the 1984 AFCON at Bouake. They played Algeria, Ghana, and Malawi in the competition, and they picked up one win and two draws.