Olembe Stadium
Paul Biya Omnisports Stadium, referred to as the Olembe Stadium and Sport Complex , is a multi-purpose stadium spanning 84 acres in Olembé locality, Yaoundé. It is the largest stadium in Cameroon by capacity, holding 60,000 spectators, and is the 9th-largest stadium in Africa by the same measure. Located roughly 13 km from Yaoundé city-centre, the stadium is part of a complex which includes two annex stadia training grounds; a gymnasium with handball, basketball, volleyball and tennis courts; an Olympic-size swimming pool; a shopping mall, museum and cinema; and 5-star hotel with 70 rooms available.
Olembe Stadium was one of the locations chosen to host the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations held in Cameroon, which took place in 2022 because of pandemic-related postponements. It held the opening ceremony and game – which the Cameroon team won 2–1 against Burkina Faso – and the closing ceremony and final, which was held between Senegal and Egypt; Senegal won the tournament.
Construction and Development
As Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Prof. Narcisse Mouelle Kombi oversaw the project.The stadium's official construction cost is put at around $284 million following some financing controversy. The complex is reported to have encouraged the development of other otherwise unutilised areas, with new roads, eating and drinking establishments, hostels, and play grounds among other facilities.
The intended official delivery of first-phase construction, including the main stadium, when the Cameroonian Football Federation would take ownership of the facility, was meant to occur on 30 November 2021, postponed first to 3 December 2021, but was postponed again. The Confederation of African Football had expressed concerns throughout the construction process about the pace of completion.
The second-phase of construction, covering the swimming pool and other sports courts, is intended to be completed after the end of AFCON.
The steel-roof of the main stadium, which is decorated in the colours of Cameroon's flag, was designed by Maeg, who specialise in steel structures.
The first match held at the Stadium was on 3 September 2021: a FIFA World Cup African Qualifier game between Cameroon and Malawi, which Cameroon won 2–0.