CHAN 2020: Cameroon to allow football fans into stadiums

Host nation Cameroon has agreed to let football fans attend matches ahead of the forthcoming sixth edition of the African Nations Championships (CHAN). The three-week tournament will take place from January 16 to February 7 after it was rescheduled from April 4-25 last year due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. The announcement comes a week after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) authorized the presence of fans in stadiums for competition. The matches will be held in four venues from three cities namely Yaoundé, Limbe and Douala. The African Football governing body in December delivered a satisfactory certificate to Cameroon indicating that the percentage of stadia occupation in line with health exigencies outlined by FIFA. According to Cameroon’s Sports and Physical Education Ministry, CAF ordered that the number of fans should be 25% of the full capacity of each of the stadiums that will host group matches, including the opening game. The percentage of attendance will rise to 50 percent in stadiums that will host the semi-finals and the final. The attendance in stadiums will, however, be authorized on condition that spectators respect the Covid-19 protocols at respective venues including wearing face masks and maintaining social distancing. Failure to do so will result in forcing anyone who violates the guidelines out of the stadiums. It’s worth noting that a novel rule of making four substitutions, only in an event of extra time during the elimination stages of the competition will be applied. Rwanda will be making its fourth appearance – and third in a row – in the tournament. The national team, Amavubi, played two warm-up games with Congo Brazzaville before flying to Cameroon. They play their opening Group C game against regional rivals Uganda on January 18 at Stade de la Reunification, Douala, before facing holders Morocco on January 22 and debutants Togo on January 26. Rwanda’s Football governing body (FERWAFA), however, confirmed to Times Sport that they have no plan to take fans to support the national team in Cameroon.