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The last time the Gambian National Football Team, known as the SCORPIONS, played at their home stadium in Gambia was in March 2021.
Incidentally, the nation achieved its first-ever AFCON qualification during that match by defeating Angola.
Shortly after that match, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) banned The Gambia football team from using its sole football stadium to host international matches.
The surprising decision came in early 2022, after the AFCON tournament in Cameroon, where Gambia performed creditably well before being eliminated in the quarter-finals by the host nation, Cameroon.
At that point, CAF declared the stadium unfit for international matches.
This announcement surprised football stakeholders, fans, and enthusiasts, especially as Gambian football was beginning to gain traction.
History of the Stadium
The Independent Stadium, which has a capacity of 30,000 seats, is located in Bakau, about 15 kilometres from Banjul, the capital. It was constructed in 1983 and opened in 1984 with little or no renovations. The auditorium serves multiple purposes, including hosting football matches, music concerts, political events, trade fairs, and national celebrations. It underwent some renovations in 2011, and after the CAF ban in 2022, further renovations were expected to be completed by August 2024.
History of the ban by CAF
In a letter dated Feb. 16, 2022, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced that The Gambia’s Independence Stadium in Bakau did not meet its criteria for hosting international matches.
A few days after the ban was announced, the venue’s general manager, Ebou Faye, stated that they had anticipated a CAF ban since 2019.
“It was disappointing, but we knew that it was coming,” Faye told BBC Sport Africa.
In response, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure quickly formed a technical committee to assess and upgrade the facility to meet the necessary standards.
CAF recommended improvements in several areas, including renovations to the pitch, stands, dugouts, scoreboards, dressing rooms, and media and medical sections.
Renovation Process
Over D160 million dalasi was allocated for the stadium’s renovation and project work, divided into four lots (1 to 4) and contracted to two companies: Gigo Construction and Integral Group, a joint Turkish and Gambian enterprise.
Since the renovation began in early 2022, President Adama Barrow has visited the site several times to assess the progress and expressed his satisfaction.
Additionally, Bakary Y. Badjie, the minister of youth and sports, visited the Stadium multiple times and expressed satisfaction with the improvements made.
During the renovation, National Assembly members also called for speedy project completion to ensure Gambia’s return to hosting international matches.
Misinformation regarding the lifting of the stadium ban
On Oct. 21, the government announced the completion of the stadium renovation project, and the country awaited CAF’s approval. On Oct. 24, 2024, several news outlets reported that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) had lifted the ban on the Independent Stadium, based on a press statement released by the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Read reports here, here, and here.
According to the ministry’s announcement, The Gambia was set to play its next qualifier for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations at the main stadium against Comoros on November 15, 2024.
This will be almost four years since Gambia last hosted a home game. The statement read, “Gambia vs Comoros – AFCON 2025 Qualifier to be played in Bakau. The wait is over! The moment every football fan has been waiting for is finally here.”
Furthermore, the statement indicated that a CAF inspection team would arrive in Banjul to conduct a final assessment before officially allowing the stadium to host international matches.
Before the arrival of CAF inspectors, Sheikh Njie, the stadium contractor, told local media that Gambia has one of the best African pitches.
“The Gambia has one of the best pitches in Africa. This is the latest technology, and only one country in Africa has it. For the pitch, there are no issues.”
Following this news, many Gambians celebrated, expressing their eagerness to watch football in their homeland again.
Public reaction after the news of the stadium ban lifted
When news went viral that the ban would be lifted, the public reacted enthusiastically, especially as the national team was scheduled to face Comoros on November 15 in the return leg of the AFCON 2025 qualifier in Morocco.
“I am very excited to hear this news. I can’t wait to watch the home game on the 15th in Bakau,” said Lamin Ceesay, a seasoned football fan.
Another football fan, Kemo Touray, said, “This is long overdue. We missed watching our team play at home, and the team, too, missed the fans.”
However, this excitement was short-lived, as a CAF delegation that came for a final inspection deemed the stadium unfit for international matches, stating that the pitch did not meet the required standards.
CAF disapproved the stadium from hosting international matches
In a statement following the inspection, CAF said, “Due to the current quality of the playing field, CAF is unable to approve the stadium for the upcoming match #106 between Gambia and Comoros during Match Day 5 of the AFCON qualifiers for Morocco 2025.”
“We want to help The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) free of charge with a CAF pitch specialist to guide how to install a FIFA Standard pitch. The current pitch does not meet the criteria as it’s of poor quality,” CAF added.
Fans’ reactions after CAF’s disapproval
In a recent publication by Gambiana, local figures, including Ousman Janneh, a former volunteer at the stadium, expressed frustration over the decision.
Known widely as Coach Charles, Janneh attributes the stadium’s decline to years of neglect and poor management.
“I remember volunteering when the stadium was first built,” he told Gambiana.
“But over time, the grass on the pitch has deteriorated because of overuse for events that had nothing to do with football.”
Pa Badou, a respected referee from the Gambia Football Association, also shared his disappointment.
“It felt like a prank,” Badou said, referring to the misplaced excitement and subsequent letdown.
He added, “The Gambia needs to learn from countries like Mauritania. They refused to participate in international competitions until their venues met CAF’s standards. This kind of commitment is what we need.”
The United Democratic Party (UDP) has also raised concerns about the state of the Independence Stadium. The opposition party shares the frustrations of the Scorpions, its fans,, and all Gambians.
“It’s an utter failure of leadership that the Gambia’s football team can not play their home matches in The Gambia,” UDP said.
Conclusion
The ban on the Gambia’s only football stadium has ignited anxiety among football fans and enthusiasts who are calling on the government to build a new stadium as the current one is over four decades old.
