Ethiopia will host international football matches at home for the first time in five years, following approval from the Confederation of African Football for the use of its Dire Dawa stadium.
Ethiopia, an Eastern African nation with a population of 130 million, has been compelled to play its home matches abroad since 2021 after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) ruled that all three of its primary stadiums – in Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar, and Dire Dawa – did not meet international standards.
However, following recent upgrades that received the green light from CAF inspectors, the second-largest stadium in Dire Dawa is set to host Ethiopia’s preliminary round second leg qualifier against São Tomé and Príncipe on March 31, according to the Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF).
“Great news! The Dire Dawa International Stadium can now host national team matches,” announced the EFF. Built in partnership with the Dire Dawa city administration, the modern stadium is ready for national and international competitions.”
The EFF has reappointed former international player Yohannes Sahle to prepare the national team for the qualifiers, with the first leg kicking off in São Tomé on March 25.
The team that triumphs after both legs will move on to the group stage of the tournament, with the finals scheduled to take place next year in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Ethiopia, which previously hosted the Africa Cup of Nations in 1976, recently finished fifth in Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, earning only nine points from ten matches.
Source AFP
