Inside an Africa Cup fan zone, ‘everybody enjoys football in their own way’
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As the Africa Cup of Nations heads into the quarterfinals on Saturday – with hosts Cameroon the favourites – FRANCE 24 went to one of the “fan zones” set up for local supporters unable to see the matches in the stadiums in the capital, Yaoundé.
The fan zones allow local fans to enjoy the atmosphere of the football fiesta vibrant without having to go to the stadiums. The African Football Confederation set up six official zones across the country, with fans adding a multitude of small, unofficial zones for those who want to come together to watch the action.
FRANCE 24 went to one of the official fan zones opposite the Yaoundé city hall, centred around a plinth commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. There are giant screens showing the matches, food stands and merchandise stands honouring the 24 national teams who took part in the tournament.
“Today it’s Gabon and Burkina Faso playing; it’s pretty calm so people can move around easily,” said Malet Mal Njam, who runs this particular fan zone. “But if you come when Cameroon are playing … There were 11,000 people here for their first match!”
‘We’ve been waiting 8 years’
Christine Essomba, 30, a Cameroon fan wearing her team’s shirt, said she discovered the zone during a drink with friends: “I didn’t know about this place before but now I’ll be coming back every day. It’s a nice atmosphere, there are plenty of people and a lot of emotion.”
“We’ve been waiting eight years for the competition to take place in Cameroon,” she said. “I’m not a particularly big football fan, but it’s the Africa Cup of Nations…
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Source : france24
