BurkinaFaso : Towards the Rehabilitation of the 4th August Stadium by August 2024, in accordance with President Captain Ibrahim Traoré’s Ambitions

The Burkinabe government, under the enlightened leadership of President Ibrahim Traoré, expresses its commitment to the rehabilitation of the 4th August Stadium in Ouagadougou. The Minister of Sports, Youth, and Employment, Boubakar Savadogo, recently spoke during the CASEM on Saturday, September 16, sharing the aspiration to see the rehabilitation work completed by August 2024.

Minister Savadogo emphasized the government’s determination to achieve this goal in compliance with international standards set for sports facilities. «We hope that by next August, we can have a 4th August Stadium that meets all the standards set for us», he said in response to a question about the rehabilitation timeline. He also discussed the challenges encountered during the rehabilitation process, highlighting the loss of two years due to necessary adjustments following CAF recommendations. Despite these obstacles, the government remains committed to getting the project back on track.

Minister Savadogo highlighted the need to bring other stadiums in the country up to international standards. He emphasized the importance of having training fields that meet the standards, indicating that the construction of these fields is yet to be undertaken.

While awaiting the reopening of the 4th August Stadium for the Stallions, the minister proposes that Burkinabe clubs play their matches at other approved stadiums. He also announced plans for the rehabilitation of other stadiums in the country, including those in Ziniaré, Naba Baongho, Wobi, and Joseph Conombo. These projects will be submitted to CAF after architectural studies.

The minister concluded by emphasizing the need to obtain CAF approval before starting rehabilitation work, drawing lessons from the past experience with the 4th August Stadium. Since its suspension in March 2021 by CAF and FIFA due to non-compliance, the Stallions have been forced to play their matches abroad, primarily in Morocco.

The Burkinabe government, under the enlightened vision and visionary leadership of President Ibrahim Traoré, is further striving to modernize Burkina Faso’s sports infrastructure to meet international standards and enable the country to reach new heights in the field of sports.

Sadia Nyaoré