The Chinese contractor is finalizing works within the structure while waiting for government to contract for indispensable outer works.

China Machinery Engineering Corporation, the Chinese firm constructing the Bafoussam Stadium in the Kouekong neigbourhood of the West Region is rounding off with construction works on the edifice to host the 2019 Africa Nations Cup. The hitherto bushy area located some 16 km away from the city centre adjacent the national highway in the north of Bafoussam is being transformed into an eye-catching football arena leaving no visitor indifferent.

Officials of the Chinese firm say since October 15, 2013 when they began construction works on the stadium, their engineers; expatriates and locals, have been working tooth and nail to deliver on or before May 2016; the contracting deadline. Of the 20 hectares set aside for the multi-functional stadium and its surrounding environments, the about six hectares on which the Chinese have erected the 20,000 capacity stadium has given the area a newlook. The national colours are conspicuous on the stadium’s seats and the entire infrastructure.

The Stadium’s Makeup

The Kouekong stadium has 20,000 seats on the different spectator stands. The stadium will be mainly used for football matches and also for track and field events. According to Jim Wang Project’s Manager of the stadium, the edifice is being constructed to meet the requirements of the world football governing body, FIFA, and the International Athletics Federation, IAAF.

The central sports field is designed as a standard integrative track field of 400m, with 36.5m radius, 84.39m long straight tracks and eight main tracks, and it is also set with eight straight tracks in the west side. In addition, natural turf football field with international standard size used for track and field events is set in the stadium, the football field with 68×105m is set in the middle and its turf that is fit for local warm season has already been planted.

Imported irrigation equipment are adopted in the football field, and 24 automatic sprinklers with 20.1m spray radius are also set, which can cover the whole football field to meet maintenance requirements. Of the 20,000 seats in total, there are 9,166 on the west stand, 5,794 seats on the east stand; 3,157 seats on the north stand; 1,843 seats on the south stand and 40 seats for the disabled.

Other Outstanding Facilities   

Three flagpoles are separately set in the south and north sides of this sports field which will be used during competitions to fly the national flag and flag of the games, and hold flag-raising ceremony of awarding medals to athletes. There is also a display screen installed in the south stand that will serve to broadcast matches. There are four steel structure lamp towers with 69 lamps and 13 emergency lamps to provide enough illumination. Thus, matches can be played at night.

What About Functional Rooms?

There are different functional rooms and areas to meet international match requirements in the Kouekong Stadium. In the ground floor to the west side, there are VIP rooms, press rooms, match organization rooms and media rooms, fire control room, dressing rooms and so on. Meanwhile, the south side hosts equipment rooms, outdoor rest area and toilets.

The first floor contains VIP chamber, west spectator stand, toilets, shops, equipment rooms and spectator distribution platform. In a tour of the stadium, Cameroon Tribune discovered that the second floor contains lighting control room, LED control room and commentators’ room. Some of the VIP and Conference Rooms were already covered with woolen carpets at press time.