The 28 September Stadium in Conakry, Guinea, has received temporary third-category accreditation from the Confederation of African Football (CAF). This significant decision allows the stadium to host international matches once again, effectively ending a challenging period where Guinean clubs and the national team were consistently forced to play their home games in other countries. The temporary accreditation granted by CAF is specifically valid for the month of September 2026, marking a key window for Guinean football. This development marks a significant step for football in Guinea, providing local teams and fans with the long-awaited opportunity to experience international competitions on home ground, fostering a renewed sense of national pride and local support.
Upcoming Matches Return
The newly accredited 28 September Stadium is set to host several important international football fixtures, signaling a vibrant return to local play. Horoya AC of Guinea is notably scheduled to play JS Saoura of Algeria on September 13th in the return leg of the CAF Champions League preliminary round. This match is highly anticipated by local supporters eager to see their team compete at home. The first leg of this key encounter will see JS Saoura, the Algerian league runner-up, host Horoya AC between September 4-6, 2026, setting the stage for the return leg in Conakry.
Another prominent Guinean club, Hafia Conakry, will also utilize the stadium, hosting AS Douanes from Mauritania on September 11th, further showcasing the stadium's renewed capacity to host continental club football. Beyond club competitions, the Guinean national team is slated to host Kenya in Conakry on October 1st. This particular match is part of the qualifiers for the prestigious 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, marking a significant and emotional return for the national team to play on home soil in front of their dedicated fans. The ability to play these key qualification matches at home is expected to provide a considerable boost to the national squad.
Years of Playing Abroad
Guinean clubs and national teams were previously compelled to play their home matches outside the country because local sports facilities did not meet the stringent international standards set by CAF. This challenging situation forced teams like Horoya AC and the national squad to seek alternative venues in other nations for their continental and international fixtures. The necessity of playing abroad impacted both club competitions, such as the CAF Champions League, and vital national team qualifiers, often depriving local fans of the chance to support their teams directly. For instance, in recent years, Guinean teams have played 'home' matches in countries including Algeria, Sudan, and Zambia due to the non-compliance of their own stadiums. This period saw Guinean national team and club supporters unable to watch their teams compete on home soil, a situation that has now been rectified with the stadium's accreditation. The financial and logistical burdens of playing away from home were also considerable for the clubs and the national federation.
CAF Champions League Path
The accreditation allows Guinea to resume hosting international matches after several years during which teams were compelled to play abroad. In the CAF Champions League, should the Algerian representative qualify from their initial matches, they are scheduled to play the first leg against the winner of the match between Sudan's Al-Merrikh and Zambia's Power Dynamos. This subsequent initial encounter is set to take place between October 16-18, 2026, marking a significant progression in the tournament. If the Algerian team successfully advances past this stage, the return leg of that fixture will be played outside Algeria. This subsequent match is slated for October 23-25, 2026, marking a critical stage in the competition for the Algerian club as they navigate the later rounds of the CAF Champions League.