CAF limit stadium capacities at AFCON to combat COVID-19

Attendances during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will be capped at 80per cent for host nation Cameroon's fixtures and 60per cent for other games due to COVID-19, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) said.

The tournament will begin on Jan. 9 with Cameroon taking on Burkina Faso at the Olembe stadium in Yaounde, which can seat 60,000 people.

"After several consultations with the Cameroonian government ... CAF and the local organising committee have agreed to cap stadium capacity between 60per cent-80per cent in the Africa Cup of Nations," the governing body said in a statement on Tuesday.

"The 80per cent maximum capacity will only apply for matches of the host country Cameroon."

The statement added that strict health protocols had been put into place for spectators, who must be fully vaccinated and present a negative test result to attend games.

Concerns about the readiness of stadiums and the spread of the Omicron COVID-19 variant have made headlines in recent weeks.

A number of teams preparing for the AFCON have also reported positive COVID-19 cases, including tournament favourites Algeria, Ivory Coast and Morocco.