China offers Guinea 50,000 seat stadium

Chinese authorities on Thursday announced that their architects in Guinea are rounding off the construction of a 50,000-seater stadium in the capital Conakry, which will be offered to the Guinean government as a gift in few days, according to Xinhua.

The Stade de Nongo was built at a cost of $50 million (€38 million) and will be inaugurated before the start of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), a source at Guinea’s sports ministry said.

A delegation from the ministry will pay an inspection visit to the site early next week, while the Chinese constructors promised to complete the project within 10 days and hand the keys over to the sports minister.

An inaugural football match between the Syli National and a team to be named will be held at the facility prior to the Guineans’ departure for the 2012 Afcon.

The Chinese largesse to the West African nation is a symbol the strong diplomatic and cultural ties existing between both countries, maintained authorities in Conakry.

Previously, the 35,000-capacity multipurpose Stade du 28 Septembre has been Guinea’s biggest and most modern sports facility.

The 40,000-seater Libreville-based Stade d'amitié sino-gabonaise, where the final of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations will be played, was also built by China as a gift to Gabon to symbolise both countries’ longstanding friendship.