Co-hosts' exit spells bad news for Nations Cup organizers

By Peter Auf der Heyde Feb 6, 2012, 12:37 GMT

Libreville, Germany - The elimination of both co-hosts of the 28th Africa Cup of Nations at the quarter-final stage of the competition on the weekend spells bad news for organizers.

Equatorial Guinea's fairy-tale run in the competition was cut short by tournament favourites Ivory Coast, who had an easy 3-0 victory, while Gabon were unlucky to lose 5-4 on penalties to Mali after twice hitting the post and conceding a late 1-1 equalizer.

Crowds in all but the matches not involving the co-hosts have been poor and even they failed - in most cases - to draw a capacity crowd to the stadium.

The quarter-final between Sudan and Zambia, which the southern African country won comfortably 3-0, had just a few hundred people in the stands.

Interest in the competition peaked when the co-hosts played, but lacked the buzz and excitement normally associated with the event in other African countries on days that they have not played.

There have been street vendors selling Gabon shirts, flags and other paraphernalia, but they have been most active on the days that the hosts have played.

Virtually none of the teams have brought more than a few dozen traveling fans and this has added to a lack of excitement in the stadium.

A possible reason for the low attendance is that tickets are - for local standards - quite expensive, with the cheapest tickets selling at 10 dollars.

That, however, is a lot in a country where the minimum wage is just 160 dollars.

In an attempt to fill stadiums, organizers in Gabon made available free tickets and transport to the game for the quarter-final between Tunisia and Ghana, which the Black Stars won 2-1 after extra-time.

But even that failed to attract fans, with the 25,000-seater Stade de Franceville being filled less than one third.

The head of communications for the Gabon local organizing committee, Louis Claude Mounzeo Koumba, said that previous competitions faced the same problems.

'At other tournaments, people also do not go to the stadium when the local team is not playing. We try to do the best. Usually in other tournaments, it's 40 per cent of people who go to the stadium,' he said.

Africa's controlling body CAF has not published official attendances, but there have been matches where less than 1,000 have lost themselves in four stadiums.

And although Wednesday's semi-finals between Ghana and Zambia (in the Equatorial Guinea city of Bata) and Mali and Ivory Coast (in Libreville) feature some world stars like Seydou Keita, Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure, it seems unlikely that the stadiums will be filled.

But Gabon coach Gernot Rohr, who failed in his attempts of coaching the Panthers to their first-ever semi-final appearance, is confident that locals will support the tournament.

'I think there have been no problems and it has been good for football,' the Franco-German said.

'Of course the atmosphere in the country depends a bit on whether the hosts are still in the competition or not. But I am sure that the two semi-finals, the one in Gabon and the other in Equatorial Guinea, will be well supported by the local population.

'I certainly hope so, as the teams are strong. Ivory Coast have a wonderful team and Mali is also a very good side. The other semi-final is also a terrific match and I am confident that the competition will continue well, even without the hosts participating.'