The razzmatazz and hype that comes with hosting the 2020 African Nations Football Championship (CHAN) is evident in Cameroon 30 days before kick-off.
However, the preparations for the team, known as the Intermediate Lions, which will represent the hosts at the 16-team event are not going as smoothly.
The continental tournament for players plying their trade in their domestic championships was due to take place in March but was delayed due to the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Cameroon's government has invested heavily financially and with material resources to build new infrastructure including 50,000-seat stadium in Douala for the tournament.
The country's Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute is very happy with what his country has to offer for the 16-nation event.
"The infrastructure we have here for the CHAN is comparable to what exists anywhere in the world and Cameroonians have to be proud," Dion Ngute said.
"For the next 100 years, Cameroonians won't be thinking about constructing stadiums because top quality infrastructure have been erected across the country"
He also admitted that there was need for some "minor adjustments" to be made in order to ensure January's continental showdown will be a landmark success.
Dion Ngute also hinted that there could be a return of fans to the stands for what he hopes will be an "African football feast".
The optimism of Cameroon's officials is shared by the Confederation of African Football (Caf), who during its most recent executive committee meeting agreed that "Cameroon is ready to host the event".
Caf highlighted that inspection visits to the three host cities Yaounde, Douala and Limbe had shown Cameroon's drive to organize the event.
After a seven-month hiatus triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic, sports activities in Cameroon resumed in October with several domestic championships now in full gear.
Cameroon's local organizing committee are hopeful the country's ability to tackling the coronavirus health crisis can convince Caf to let fans in the stands for the CHAN.
"We are currently negotiating with Caf to see if we can have a significant number of fans in the stadium for the event" the tournament manager Michel Dissake Mbarga told Cameroon's national radio CRTV.
"The figures speak for themselves. The scrupulous respect for the anti-Covid measures coupled with appropriate medical follow-up has brought Covid-19 under control in Cameroon.
"We are training volunteers on how to manage crowds during CHAN and to ensure that the distancing measures are respected in the various stadia."
Caf has said that it is "working on a scenario with 25% (of capacity) of fans" and that it is "in contact with the authorities to check if it will be possible."
Source: BBC
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