Dakar Arena register one of the biggest crowds in African basketball history
DAKAR (Senegal) - Thousands of fans flocked into Dakar Arena on Saturday to witness Senegal taking on Cote d'Ivoire, which was preceded by the Opening Ceremony of the FIBA Women's AfroBasket 2019.
It's the first time that the newly-built venue hosts a major basketball tournament, and Senegalese fans from all walks of life made sure to celebrate the game of basketball in their own terms.
Senegal, in Dakar, just put on best opening ceremonies of any tournament I've ever attended - Incredible! #AfroBasketWomen #Afrobasketwomen2019 @FIBA pic.twitter.com/adgNaqeIJu
— JEFF TAYLOR (@JeffreyNTaylor) August 10, 2019
It starts to become a norm in Africa for fans to turn up in huge numbers in support of the host country, and according to official figures, 12,000 fans made their way to the 15,000-seater Dakar Arena.
In the process, Senegal - one of the frontrunners in the competition - trounced Cote d'Ivoire 77-36 in Group A.
It's one of the biggest crowds in the history of the competition after Tunisia's Salle Omnisports de Rades accommodated 11,000 fans in the semifinal of the FIBA AfroBasket 2015 between Tunisia and Angola.
Salle Ominisports Rades, Tunis, FIBA AfroBasket 2015
Two years later Arena Kilamba recorded approximately 11 500 fans during a game between hosts Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo in the first window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 African Qualifiers.
Arena Kilamba, Luanda, 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 African Qualifiers
FIBA
