Estadio de Bata is a multi-use

stadium A stadium ( : stadiums or stadia) is a place or venue for (mostly) outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a tiered structure designed to allow spectators to stand o ...

in Bata,

Equatorial Guinea Equatorial Guinea ( es, Guinea Ecuatorial; french: Guinée équatoriale; pt, Guiné Equatorial), officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea ( es, link=no, República de Guinea Ecuatorial, french: link=no, République de Guinée équatoria ...

. The stadium was constructed by the Chinese contractor Covec and completed in 2007 with a capacity of 22,000 people in a single tier pre-cast concrete structure. It was a venue for the

2008 Women's African Football Championship The 2008 African Women's Championship is of 15–29 November 2008 in Equatorial Guinea. The central African country is the first time host of the tournament. Eight national teams played in group matches and then against each other. Qualification ...

. It was expanded in 2011 with a new steel substructure upper tier to a 35,000 capacity as one of the host stadiums for the

2012 Africa Cup of Nations The 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, also known as the Orange Africa Cup of Nations for sponsorship reasons, was the 28th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the football championship of Africa organized by the Confederation of African Football ( ...

including the opening ceremony and semi-final matches. The stadium is located about 5 kilometers from the coast and adjacent to a sport complex currently under construction which features an indoor sports hall, covered swimming pool, hotel and most main sporting codes. Bata Stadium is the largest stadium in Equatorial Guinea's largest city.

Design

The stadium is built around a football field with running track. The stadium platform is a square centre section with semi-circular ends. The first phase was a concrete lower tier with 21 rows and a steel cantilever roof over the east and west stands. The same contractor also constructed stadiums with the same basic plan configuration at Mongomo and at Ebebiyin but with fewer rows.

Expansion

In 2011, Bouygues were appointed as contractors to expand the

seating capacity Seating capacity is the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, in terms of both the physical space available, and limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that ...

to 35,000 for the hosting of the

tournament semi-final venue. The expansion was done in a very short time with a new steel structure upper tier with 13 rows of seats and a new continuous cantilever roof.

2015 Africa Cup of Nations

On 14 November 2014 CAF announced that oil rich Equatorial Guinea would be the last-minute alternate hosts for the

2015 Africa Cup of Nations The 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, known as the Orange Africa Cup of Nations, Equatorial Guinea 2015 for sponsorship reasons, was the 30th staging of the Africa Cup of Nations, the international men's football championship of Africa. It was orga ...

Tournament. This happened after Morocco insisted that CAF must postpone the event due to concerns related to the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa. CAF responded by expelling Morocco and withdrawing them as tournament hosts. Bata Stadium hosted the four matches including the opening game between

and the

Republic of the Congo The Republic of the Congo (french: République du Congo, ln, Republíki ya Kongó), also known as Congo-Brazzaville, the Congo Republic or simply either Congo or the Congo, is a country located in the western coast of Central Africa to the w ...

and the final match.

References

External links

FootoFeminin African Womens Championship

Picture at Cafe.daum.net/stade

Picture at worldstadiums

Aerial photo at Panoramio

Stadium images
at Stadiumguide.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Bata Football venues in Equatorial Guinea Sports venues completed in 2007 2012 Africa Cup of Nations 2015 Africa Cup of Nations Buildings and structures in Bata, Equatorial Guinea