![Opening ceremony of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) at the Ebimpe Stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on January 13, 2024.](https://imagenes.elpais.com/resizer/v2/PINGEJUU7AAC3Q7HXLZ5G5G3OY.jpg?auth=706f96908ede98d877d9132fc975e3aac34650767c904b090d8eb39e85bc0f4c&width=414&height=233&smart=true)
The Africa Cup of Nations: When a country’s economy also plays soccer
Ivory Coast has invested around $1 billion in the organization of this competition. Despite positive economic impacts in the short-term — as well as the exhibition of ‘soft power’ inside and outside the continent — there are doubts about the future profitability of the newly-built infrastructure