Cameroon's major stadiums
Cameroon built its stadiums in two waves. The first came with the 1972 Africa Cup of Nations: Yaoundé's omnisports stadium, now named after Ahmadou Ahidjo, and the Reunification Stadium in Douala. The second was for AFCON 2021, postponed by the Covid-19 pandemic and played in January-February 2022: Olembe and Japoma, with 60,000 and 50,000 seats, plus Limbe, Kouekong and the renovation of Roumdé Adjia. These projects cost hundreds of billions of CFA francs, and their upkeep is a matter of debate.
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The stadiums at a glance
| Stadium | City | Capacity | Opened | Published cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Biya (Olembe) | Yaoundé | 60,000 | 3 September 2021 | 163 billion CFA francs (initial contract); over 200 billion with the 2019 add-on |
| Japoma | Douala | 50,000 | Late 2020 (2019 in other sources) | 140 to 232 billion CFA francs depending on source |
| Ahmadou Ahidjo (Mfandena) | Yaoundé | 40,000 to 42,500 | 1972; renovated 2005 and 2015-16 | 26 billion CFA francs for the 2015-16 renovation |
| Reunification (Bépanda) | Douala | 30,000 | 1972 (first match in 1971) | Not found |
| Roumdé Adjia | Garoua | 25,000 to 30,000 | 1978; renovated by Mota-Engil | Not found |
| Kouekong (Bafoussam omnisports) | Bafoussam | 20,000 | 30 April 2016 | Not found |
| Limbe Omnisport | Limbe | 20,000 | 26 January 2016 | Not found |
Six of these stadiums hosted AFCON 2021 matches: Olembe, Japoma, Ahmadou Ahidjo, Roumdé Adjia, Kouekong and Limbe. The Reunification Stadium served only as a training ground.
Olembe and Japoma, the two AFCON 2021 giants
The Paul Biya Stadium, known as Olembe, lies about 13 km from central Yaoundé. With 60,000 seats it is the country's biggest stadium. It is part of a complex that includes two annex pitches, a sports hall, an Olympic pool, a shopping centre and a hotel. Built by Italy's Piccini from 2018 (on a 163-billion-CFA-franc contract signed in 2015), it was taken over by Canada's Magil under a new contract of around 55 billion in 2019, according to AllAfrica. It hosted the AFCON 2021 opener, won 2-1 by Cameroon against Burkina Faso on 9 January 2022, and the final, won by Senegal against Egypt.
The Japoma complex, about 20 km from central Douala on the road to Edéa, was built by Turkey's Yenigün from February 2017 to designs by Britain's AECOM. It includes a 50,000-seat stadium with an athletics track, an indoor arena, tennis courts and an Olympic pool. It was 85% financed by Turkey's Türk Eximbank, under an agreement of around 116 billion CFA francs, topped up by a 24-billion loan from BGFI bank. The stadium hosted the 2024 African Athletics Championships.
The Olembe crush, 24 January 2022
On 24 January 2022, before the Cameroon-Comoros round-of-16 match, a crush broke out at the south entrance of the Olembe Stadium. Because of Covid rules, attendance was capped at 80% for Cameroon's games, about 48,000 spectators. According to the government's statement, eight people died and 38 were injured, seven of them seriously; the WHO put the number of injured at around 50 and said nearby hospitals were quickly overwhelmed. Fans had been directed towards a locked gate; when it was opened, the crowd surged through. The match went ahead.
President Paul Biya ordered an investigation. Sports minister Narcisse Mouelle Kombi called the decision to open the south gate reckless; CAF said its inquiry would focus on why the gate was closed, and its president Patrice Motsepe said the tragedy should have been prevented. The quarter-final scheduled at Olembe was moved to the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, then CAF lifted the suspension on 30 January, allowing a semi-final and the final to be played there. The WHO later trained Cameroonian health workers in managing mass-casualty incidents.
Historic and regional stadiums
- Ahmadou Ahidjo, nicknamed the Mfandena bowl (Yaoundé V): built in 1972 and home to Canon and Tonnerre, it hosted Roger Milla's testimonial in 1988 and the 2016 WAFCON final. On 12 May 2016, during its renovation, a collapsing formwork killed one worker and injured two.
- Reunification, or the Bépanda bowl (Douala): begun in 1970 for AFCON 1972 and used by seven city clubs including Union and Dynamo. A renovation project awarded to Magil in 2018 planned partial roofing and more than 39,000 seats.
- Roumdé Adjia (Garoua): opened in 1978, home of Coton Sport, renovated by Portugal's Mota-Engil.
- Kouekong (Bafoussam) and Limbe: two 20,000-seat stadiums built by Chinese groups (CMEC, CNEEC) and opened in 2016; Limbe's, on a hill overlooking the sea, is home to Victoria United.
Upkeep and unfinished works
The Olembe Stadium was only about 40% complete at the time of AFCON 2022, according to an article carried by AllAfrica in May 2026, which puts the money committed to Olembe and Japoma at over 400 billion CFA francs, without the annex facilities being fully delivered. CAF had repeatedly voiced concern about the pace of work, and the handover of the first phase, planned for 30 November 2021, was postponed. At Japoma, the state of the pitch caused controversy as early as AFCON 2022 and led to matches being moved. An opinion piece published in January 2026 describes Olembe as non-functional in many respects; it refers to irregularities without citing any official proceedings. No public maintenance budget for the stadiums could be found online.
Frequently asked questions
What is the biggest stadium in Cameroon?
The Paul Biya Stadium at Olembe, in Yaoundé, with 60,000 seats. It hosted the opening match and final of AFCON 2021, played in 2022.
How much did the Olembe Stadium cost?
The official figure usually quoted is 163 billion CFA francs, the initial contract; with the add-on awarded to Magil in 2019, the total exceeds 200 billion according to the press.
How many died in the Olembe stadium crush?
Eight dead and 38 injured, seven seriously, according to the government, on 24 January 2022 before Cameroon v Comoros. The WHO speaks of about 50 injured.
What is the capacity of the Japoma Stadium?
50,000 seats. The complex, in Douala, also has an indoor arena, an Olympic pool and an athletics track.
Which stadiums hosted AFCON 2021?
Olembe and Ahmadou Ahidjo in Yaoundé, Japoma in Douala, Roumdé Adjia in Garoua, Kouekong in Bafoussam and the Limbe Omnisport Stadium.
Handle with care
Japoma's cost varies widely: 140 billion CFA francs (French Wikipedia), 200 billion (same page, another passage), about 232 million dollars (English Wikipedia). Its opening is dated 2019 or 29 December 2020. The capacities of Ahmadou Ahidjo (40,000 to 42,500) and Roumdé Adjia (25,000 to 30,000) differ between pages. The 120,000 attendance record attributed to Ahmadou Ahidjo in the 1980s is unsourced and has not been used.