Stade de l'Amitié

The Kouhounou district of Cotonou holds a stadium. It is a long way from the packed terraces of Europe. The heat rises off the pitch during a match. The grass is natural and it is where Les Écureuils play their home fixtures. The capacity is 35,000. The most famous evening here was the 2021 CAF Confederation Cup Final, when Raja Casablanca beat JS Kabylie. The record attendance of 40,000 was set for a 2008 qualifier against Mali. There is a training field with synthetic grass, but the main stage is natural turf. It was built with support from China and opened in 1983, though some accounts point to late 1982. The structure has been updated for the latest CAF standards, but the bones of the place remain the same.

Stade de l'Amitié is not a monument. It is a place where football happens, under a wide sky. The stands are high and the pitch is green. You can walk around the perimeter and feel the distance from the city centre. The stadium is open, and the game is played on the grass.