Afcon third-place playoff moved to Saturday

The third-place playoff at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon has been brought forward from Sunday to Saturday, organisers have confirmed.

The fixture will remain at Yaounde’s Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, with no explanation given by the local organising committee for the switch, though the decision was made “after discussions with the Government of Cameroon”, according to a statement.

The final will be staged at the Olembe Stadium, also in Yaounde, on Sunday, and having to split security resources between two different venues for matches hours apart may have been a factor in the decision.

The Olembe Stadium was the scene of a deadly crush that left eight people dead and 38 injured before Cameroon’s round of 16 game against Comoros Islands on Jan. 24.

It will mean a short turnaround for the loser of Thursday’s semifinal between the hosts and Egypt. Senegal beat Burkina Faso in the first semifinal on Wednesday.