Général Seyni Kountché Stadion
Encyclopedia
Stade Général Seyni Kountché (SGSK), is a multi-purpose stadium
in Niamey
, Niger
. Used for football
matches, it is home to the Niger National squad
, as well as Niger Premier League
clubs Sahel SC
, Olympic FC de Niamey
, Zumunta AC
and JS du Ténéré
, as well as club competitions such as the Niger Cup
. The stadium hosts both international athletics tournaments, and the finals of national athletics competitions. The stadium has an announced capacity of 35,000 people. It was named for the 1974-1987 military President of Niger Seyni Kountché
following his death. Opened in 1989 on the site of the former Stade du 29 Julliet, it underwent a large Chinese government funded renovation and expansion into a multi-use complex in 1999. It is owned by the government of Niger, and operated by an appointed directorship and the "Council of Stadium Administration" ("Conseil d’Administration du Stade").
The large athletic stadium is part of a larger multiuse complex which includes the Palais des Sports 3000 seat indoor arena, the Academy of Martial Arts of 2,000 seats, as well as performance spaces, thirty meeting rooms, and athletic training facilities. The complex includes facilities for Track and field
, Basketball
, handball
, and tennis
. It has been the centrepoint of recent large cultural and sporting events such as the 2005 Jeux de la Francophonie
and the 2009 first CEN-SAD Games. For large events such as these, the stadium is supplemented by local facilities such as the Stade Municipal de Niamey, Centre aéré de la BCEAO, the FENIFOOT training centre, ASFAN
's military stadium at Bagagi Iya army base, and fields at local institutions such as lycée La Fontaine (Niamey), the sports centre at Abdou Moumouni Dioffo University
, and the fields at lycée technique Issa Béri. Near the stadium complex is the Niamey Racecourse (Hippodrome de Niamey) and the Niamey traditional sports arena, home to Nigerien Lutte Traditionnelle
. The SGSK complex is regularly used for political events, exhibitions, and cultural activities.
Multi-purpose stadium
Multi-purpose stadiums are a type of stadium designed in such a way as to be easily used by multiple sports. While any stadium could potentially host more than one sport, this concept usually refers to a specific design philosophy that stresses multi-functionality over specificity...
in Niamey
Niamey
-Population:While Niamey's population has grown steadily since independence, the droughts of the early 1970s and 1980s, along with the economic crisis of the early 1980s, have propelled an exodus of rural inhabitants to Niger's largest city...
, Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
. Used for football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
matches, it is home to the Niger National squad
Niger national football team
The Niger national football team, nicknamed the Menas, is overseen by the Fédération Nigerienne de Football and a member of CAF. Niger plays in the colors of the Flag of Niger, white, green, and orange...
, as well as Niger Premier League
Niger Premier League
The Niger Premier League is the highest division in football in Niger. The league's first year of operation was 1966.-Structure:...
clubs Sahel SC
Sahel SC
Sahel Sporting Club is a Nigerien football club based in Niamey. The club was formed in 1974 from the football club Secteur 7.-Achievements:*Niger Premier League: 13*Niger Cup: 9-Performance in CAF competitions:...
, Olympic FC de Niamey
Olympic FC de Niamey
Olympic FC de Niamey is a Nigerien football club based in Niamey. Their home games are played at Général Seyni Kountché Stadion. The club was formed in 1974 from the football club Secteur 6.-Achievements:...
, Zumunta AC
Zumunta AC
Zumunta AC is a Nigerien football club based in Niamey. Their home games are played at Général Seyni Kountché Stadion.-Achievements:*Niger Premier League: 3*Niger Cup: 1-Performance in CAF competitions:...
and JS du Ténéré
JS du Ténéré
JS du Ténéré is a Nigerien football club based in Niamey. Their home games are played at Général Seyni Kountché Stadion.-Achievements:*Niger Premier League: 2*Niger Cup: 4-Performance in CAF competitions:...
, as well as club competitions such as the Niger Cup
Niger Cup
The Niger Cup is the national football competition, on a knock-out-basis in Niger.-Niger Cup Finals:-Performance by club:...
. The stadium hosts both international athletics tournaments, and the finals of national athletics competitions. The stadium has an announced capacity of 35,000 people. It was named for the 1974-1987 military President of Niger Seyni Kountché
Seyni Kountché
Seyni Kountché was a Nigerien military officer who led a 1974 coup d'état that deposed the government of Niger's first president, Hamani Diori. He ruled the country as military head of state from 1974 to 1987...
following his death. Opened in 1989 on the site of the former Stade du 29 Julliet, it underwent a large Chinese government funded renovation and expansion into a multi-use complex in 1999. It is owned by the government of Niger, and operated by an appointed directorship and the "Council of Stadium Administration" ("Conseil d’Administration du Stade").
The large athletic stadium is part of a larger multiuse complex which includes the Palais des Sports 3000 seat indoor arena, the Academy of Martial Arts of 2,000 seats, as well as performance spaces, thirty meeting rooms, and athletic training facilities. The complex includes facilities for Track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, Basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, handball
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
, and tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
. It has been the centrepoint of recent large cultural and sporting events such as the 2005 Jeux de la Francophonie
2005 Jeux de la Francophonie
The 2005 Jeux de la Francophonie, also known as Ves Jeux de la Francophonie, were held from December 7-17 2005 in Niamey, Niger.-Sports: †† = Demonstration of traditional West African style-Cultural:*Fairy tale...
and the 2009 first CEN-SAD Games. For large events such as these, the stadium is supplemented by local facilities such as the Stade Municipal de Niamey, Centre aéré de la BCEAO, the FENIFOOT training centre, ASFAN
ASFAN
ASFAN is a Nigerien football club based in Niamey and operated by the Nigerien Armed Forces . They play at the stade du camp Bagagi Iya, a small stadium in one of Niamey's military bases, although larger matches are played at the stade Général Seyni Kountché...
's military stadium at Bagagi Iya army base, and fields at local institutions such as lycée La Fontaine (Niamey), the sports centre at Abdou Moumouni Dioffo University
Abdou Moumouni Dioffo University
Abdou Moumouni University -- formerly University of Niamey from 1974-1994—is the only public university in Niger and is thus directly controlled by the Ministry of Education...
, and the fields at lycée technique Issa Béri. Near the stadium complex is the Niamey Racecourse (Hippodrome de Niamey) and the Niamey traditional sports arena, home to Nigerien Lutte Traditionnelle
Lutte Traditionnelle
Lutte Traditionnelle is the name used to describe related styles of West African Folk wrestling, known as Laamb in Senegal, Boreh in The Gambia, Evala in Togo, and KoKowa / Kokawa in Hausa areas of Nigeria and Niger, or simply Lutte Traditionnelle, in Niger and Burkina Faso...
. The SGSK complex is regularly used for political events, exhibitions, and cultural activities.