Senegal’s new 50,000 seater modern stadium was inaugurated on Tuesday, 22 February, 2022 with a legends football match after a ceremony attended by European and African head of state and global sporting dignitaries.
The Stadium which was named after the former President of Senegal, Abdoulaye Wade, will host Senegal’s international matches, with it’s first fierce game set to be the second leg of the 2022 World Cup qualifying playoff allying the Taranga Lions and Egypt on the 29 of March.
The Abdoulaye Wade Stadium is in Diamniadio, a city which is being built about 30 kilometres away from the capital, Dakar.
The opening of the stadium comes after just weeks of Senegal being crowned the Continental Champions for the first at any level, winning against Egypt on penalties in the finals of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament on 6 February.
Senegal’s President, Macky Sall said, ” It is in this beautiful den that our valiant lions will celebrate their conquest of Africa and the world.”
The Turkish-built stadium was assembled at a reported cost of $270 million, which will be hosting the Summer Youth Olympics in 2026.
The President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan participated in a ceremonial kick-off ahead of a legends game, in the company of former Senegal midfielder, Kalilou Fadiga – a part of the Senegal team which reached the quarter finals of the 2002 World Cup tournament.
El Hadji Diouf, Ivory Coast Legend Didier Drogba, Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o, former Ghana forward Asamoah Gyan and and former Nigeria striker Daniel Amokachi were a part of other professionals playing.
Also present were the presidents of Liberia, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Germany as well as the president of world governing body FIFA, and the Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe.
