National · Elite • Diamniadio, Senegal

Stade Abdoulaye Wade

Capacity 50,000

Built 2022

Home clubs

S Senegal national football team (Lions of Teranga)

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Stadium Snapshot

Address Pôle Urbain de Diamniadio, Dakar Region
Capacity 50,000
Surface Natural grass
Built 2022 (opened 22 February 2022)
Construction 18-month build · ground-broken 20 February 2020
Cost $270m (156 billion CFA francs)
Architect Tabanlıoğlu Architects (Turkey)
Builder Summa (Turkey)
Owner Government of Senegal — Ministry of Sports / FSF

Diamniadio, Senegal

Pôle Urbain de Diamniadio, Dakar Region, Senegal

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Section Guide

Find Your Best View

High Demand

Premium

Stade Abdoulaye Wade bowl

Home End (Lower Tier — Gaindé Ultras)

Lions of Teranga supporters' block. Drums, flags, the 12th Gaindé tifo group. Behind the south goal. The loudest section on Senegal match-days.

Price Range XOF 5,000–15,000

Main Stand (Upper Tier — Covered)

TV-camera side, fully covered, cushioned seats. Includes the VIP and Tribune Présidentielle. Midpoint of the pitch for the clearest view.

Price Range XOF 25,000–80,000 · VIP from XOF 150,000

Family Block (West Side)

Mixed crowd, no-flares policy, family-friendly. Partially covered. Recommended with children.

Price Range XOF 8,000–20,000

Away End (Lower Tier — North)

Segregation zone for travelling supporters on CAF qualifiers and friendlies vs WC peers. Separate entry via Gate D, separate concessions, gendarmerie escort on big fixtures.

Price Range XOF 5,000–18,000

How to get there

By car By taxi / ride-hail By BRT / TER (regional rail) From the airport

By car

30 km · 35–60 min from central Dakar via the AIBD toll motorway

Typical Fare

Indicative pricing

Est. cost Yango from Plateau: XOF 8,000–14,000

Stade Abdoulaye Wade is in the Pôle Urbain de Diamniadio, 30 km east of central Dakar on the Autoroute à péage Dakar-Diamniadio-AIBD. From central Dakar (Plateau) the drive runs 35-45 minutes off-peak and 50-70 minutes on Lions of Teranga match-days. From Almadies and Ngor the drive is 45-60 minutes. The motorway is well-signed in French, with the Diamniadio exit clearly marked.

Toll fees on the AIBD motorway run roughly XOF 1,400-2,200 each way per car
On-site parking for roughly 8,000 cars across multiple zoned lots
Arrive 2.5 hours before kickoff for Lions of Teranga matches — the access roads close to non-ticketed traffic 90 min pre-match
Yango, Heetch and inDrive all run heavy match-day coverage in Dakar

By taxi / ride-hail

Yango, Heetch, inDrive from anywhere in Dakar

Typical Fare

Indicative pricing

Est. cost Heetch from Almadies: XOF 10,000–16,000

All three ride-hail apps run match-day coverage to Diamniadio. Drop-off is at the designated Gate A pickup bay; post-match pickups use the same bay but clearance can take 30-50 minutes after Lions of Teranga internationals. Metered yellow-and-black taxis from Dakar will negotiate; agree the price in CFA before departure.

Match-day surge on Yango can hit 1.8x for Lions of Teranga fixtures
Negotiate yellow-and-black taxi fare in advance — XOF 12,000-18,000 from Plateau is the going rate
Book return before kickoff on big-fixture days — post-match availability drops sharply

By BRT / TER (regional rail)

TER train to Diamniadio, then 4 km shuttle

Typical Fare

Indicative pricing

Est. cost TER + shuttle: XOF 1,500–2,500

The Train Express Régional (TER) connects Dakar Plateau to Diamniadio in 35 minutes. Trains run every 10 minutes off-peak and every 5 minutes during peak hours. The TER does not stop directly at the stadium; from Diamniadio TER station it is a 4 km shuttle ride or a 50-minute walk. On Lions of Teranga match-days the FSF runs dedicated shuttles between the TER station and Gate A.

TER Plateau to Diamniadio: XOF 1,500 each way
FSF match-day shuttle between TER station and stadium: free with match ticket
Dakar BRT (opened 2024) runs as far as the AIBD interchange — change to TER from there

From the airport

12 km · 15–25 minutes via the AIBD road

Aéroport International Blaise Diagne (AIBD) is 12 km from Stade Abdoulaye Wade — the closest international airport to the stadium of any African national venue. The drive runs 15 minutes off-peak and 25 minutes in match-day traffic. AIBD is a deliberate co-location with the stadium as part of the Pôle Urbain de Diamniadio masterplan.

AIBD is the second-closest airport to a major African national stadium after Cairo International
Pre-book a hotel pickup for match-day morning arrivals
AIBD → Stade Abdoulaye Wade: Yango XOF 5,000-9,000 · metered taxi XOF 8,000-12,000

Where to buy tickets

Official

FSF Ticket Office + Wizall

Senegal national-team tickets sell through the FSF official portal and the Wizall mobile-money platform. CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup tickets staged at Stade Abdoulaye Wade go via CAF Ticketing. International friendlies typically open ticket sales 4-6 weeks before kickoff.

Check current fixtures

Trusted resellers

Whitelisted secondary market

When the official portal sells out, these are the only resellers we recommend.

Wizall Wave (Senegal mobile money)

Typical price ranges

Senegal vs minor opposition (friendly)

XOF 5,000–25,000

Senegal AFCON qualifier

XOF 8,000–40,000

Senegal vs France / WC peer (friendly)

XOF 15,000–80,000

WC qualifier

XOF 12,000–60,000

AFCON / WC tournament (when staged)

XOF 20,000–150,000

Do not buy printed tickets from sellers at the Diamniadio gates on match-day. Counterfeits are common for Lions of Teranga internationals. Buy through the FSF official portal, Wizall or Wave.

Match-Day Timeline

−2.5h

Stadium gates open

Early arrival mandatory for Lions of Teranga internationals. Access roads close to non-ticketed traffic from −90 min.

Kickoff −2.5h

−2h

Warm-up begins

Concessions open; full food service from −90 min. Halal-only food across all concourses.

−2h

−75m

Team arrival

Tunnel view from the Tribune Présidentielle forecourt

−75 min

−25m

Pre-match show

Senegalese national anthem, big-screen highlights, drums in the 12th Gaindé block

−25 min

Kickoff

Match begins

Kickoff

Half-time concessions

Queues peak 50-60 min; expect 10-minute waits at main concourses

FT +30m

Staggered exit

Home blocks released first, away supporters held 30 min; FSF shuttles to TER station queue Gate A

FT +30 min

Bag policy

Small bags only (laptop/handbag size). Large bags refused at the gate. No on-site cloakroom.

Cashless pref.

Concessions accept cash (XOF only), Wave and Wizall mobile money, and selected card POS. Mobile-money lines are usually fastest.

Outside food

No outside food or drink. Sealed water bottles up to 500ml permitted from Gate A.

Safety & fan tips

Stade Abdoulaye Wade was built to FIFA stadium-safety standards under the 2020-22 construction programme run by Turkish builder Summa. Every gate is equipped with turnstile counters and capacity cut-offs, permanent medical bays sit at each of the 8 entry zones, and the stewarding model was set up with a Turkish-Senegalese stewarding partnership for the 2022 opening. The Senegalese gendarmerie and police take charge of perimeter security on match-days; private stewards manage concourses and seat enforcement. The stadium has not had a major incident since opening; the AFCON 2025 tournament was hosted in Morocco rather than at Diamniadio, so the largest single-match attendance to date is the 50,000 sell-out for the inaugural friendly on 22 February 2022.

Body and bag search at every gate. Zone capacity is enforced by turnstile count — if your gate is paused, walk to an alternative gate in the same zone.
Keep cash, mobile money and phone split across two pockets. Pickpockets work the queue at Gate A and the shuttle drop-off.
Do not wear away colours in the home end. Senegal vs Egypt and Senegal vs Morocco fixtures are the two highest-tension matches.
Senegalese Red Cross and SAMU on-site at every Lions of Teranga match. Permanent medical bays at each of the 8 entry zones.
Follow steward and gendarmerie directions at full time. Staggered exits are mandatory and not negotiable.

SAMU (Senegal medical) 1515

Police (Senegal) 17

Gendarmerie 800-00-20-20

Accessibility

Wheelchair-accessible viewing platforms on all four sides, total capacity 200
Elevators to all levels — accessible entry from Gate A (main) and Gate D (away)
Hearing loop active in Tribune Présidentielle VIP and Main Stand premium
Accessible parking at Zone A reserved bays — book via FSF ticketing 7+ days in advance
Accessible washrooms at every stairwell across all 8 zones
Companion ticket free — apply to FSF 7+ days in advance with medical documentation

Where to stay and eat nearby

Hotels — within 30 min drive

Radisson Blu Hotel Dakar Sea Plaza

32 km · 35 min drive · ₣₣₣₣

Five-star Atlantic-front hotel in Dakar's Corniche-Ouest. Used by visiting national teams for match-day stays.

Book on Radisson

Pullman Dakar Teranga

30 km · 35 min drive · ₣₣₣₣

Five-star business hotel in central Dakar (Plateau). FSF-preferred base for senior officials and visiting press.

Book on Accor

Onomo Hotel Dakar Aéroport

8 km · 10 min drive · ₣₣₣

Three-star airport hotel near AIBD. Closest hotel to the stadium with a quality-tier rating. Good for match-day arrivals.

Pre-match restaurants

Le Lagon — Corniche-Ouest, Dakar

32 km · ₣₣₣

Atlantic-front fish restaurant in central Dakar. Classic pre-match meal for visiting press and FSF officials before driving to Diamniadio.

Diamniadio market food court

1 km · ₣

Senegalese street-food cluster within the Pôle Urbain de Diamniadio. Cheap, busy on match-days, fast service.

Le Djembé — Almadies

35 km · ₣₣

Senegalese live-music club in Almadies. Long-running spot for pre-match dinner and post-match celebrations on Lions of Teranga win nights.

Post-match food

Chez Loutcha — Plateau

30 km · ₣₣

Cape Verdean and Senegalese kitchen in central Dakar. Late kitchen on Lions of Teranga match-days.

La Calebasse — Almadies

35 km · ₣₣₣

Senegalese fine dining with long history. Sustained popularity with the Dakar football establishment.

Historical Significance

Stade Abdoulaye Wade was built between February 2020 and February 2022 as the centrepiece of the Pôle Urbain de Diamniadio — Senegal's planned secondary urban development 30 km east of Dakar. Designed by Turkish architecture firm Tabanlıoğlu Architects and built by Turkish construction company Summa over 18 months, the stadium replaced the older Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor in central Dakar (now in long-term refurbishment) as the Lions of Teranga's primary home. The total cost was approximately $270 million / 156 billion CFA francs, financed by the Senegalese government with concessional Turkish lending. The stadium was named after former Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade (in office 2000-2012), who initiated the broader Diamniadio masterplan during his second term. The opening ceremony on 22 February 2022 featured a friendly between Senegal national-team players and African football legends (1-1 draw) plus performances by major Senegalese musicians. Attendees included Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, and several West African heads of state. The stadium is scheduled to host the 2026 Summer Youth Olympics — Senegal's first Olympic-family hosting event and the first Youth Olympics held on African soil.

Built

2022

Surface

Natural grass

Record

50,000

Notable matches

22 Feb 2022

Senegal national-team players 1-1 African Legends XI

1-1

Inaugural match. 50,000 sell-out. Performances by Senegalese musicians; opening ceremony attended by Erdoğan and Infantino.

27 Mar 2022

Senegal 1-0 Egypt

1-0

First competitive fixture — 2022 World Cup qualifying playoff second leg. Saliou Ciss and Ibrahima Mbaye stood out; Mohamed Salah missed a penalty. Senegal qualified on penalties after a 1-1 aggregate.

9 Sep 2025

Senegal 4-0 South Sudan

4-0

2026 World Cup qualifier — clinched Senegal's place in the expanded 48-team tournament. 50,000 capacity sell-out.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the capacity of Stade Abdoulaye Wade?

50,000 — Senegal's largest football stadium and the country's primary national-team venue. The single-bowl design seats 50,000 across the lower and upper tiers combined. The record attendance is the 22 February 2022 inaugural match and the 27 March 2022 World Cup qualifying playoff second leg vs Egypt — both 50,000 sell-outs.

Where is Stade Abdoulaye Wade located?

Pôle Urbain de Diamniadio, 30 km east of central Dakar in Senegal's Dakar Region. From central Dakar (Plateau) the drive takes 35-45 minutes off-peak via the AIBD toll motorway. Aéroport International Blaise Diagne is just 12 km from the stadium — the closest international airport to a major African national stadium other than Cairo.

Who owns Stade Abdoulaye Wade?

The Government of Senegal, through the Ministry of Sports, owns Stade Abdoulaye Wade. The Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF) operates the stadium under a tenancy and operational-management arrangement. There is no naming-rights sponsor; the stadium is named after former Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade (in office 2000-2012).

When did Stade Abdoulaye Wade open?

22 February 2022. The opening ceremony featured a friendly between Senegal national-team players and African football legends, ending 1-1, plus performances by major Senegalese musicians. Construction took 18 months, with ground-broken on 20 February 2020 and the official opening exactly two years later. The stadium was built by Turkish construction company Summa to a design by Turkish architecture firm Tabanlıoğlu Architects.

How much did Stade Abdoulaye Wade cost?

Approximately $270 million / 156 billion CFA francs. The build was financed by the Senegalese government with concessional Turkish lending tied to the Summa construction contract. The cost includes the playing surface, the stands, supporting infrastructure on the Pôle Urbain de Diamniadio site, and access infrastructure connecting to the AIBD toll motorway.

What is the best way to get to Stade Abdoulaye Wade?

Driving via the AIBD toll motorway is the most reliable option — 35-45 minutes from central Dakar off-peak. The TER (Train Express Régional) Plateau-to-Diamniadio service plus the FSF match-day shuttle is the cheapest combination at XOF 1,500-2,500 each way. Yango, Heetch and inDrive ride-hails all run match-day coverage from anywhere in Dakar; AIBD airport is just 12 km from the stadium for visitors arriving by air.

What stadium did Stade Abdoulaye Wade replace?

Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor in central Dakar — Senegal's previous national stadium, capacity 60,000, opened 1985 and named after Senegal's first president and poet-philosopher Léopold Sédar Senghor. The Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor went into long-term refurbishment after Stade Abdoulaye Wade opened in February 2022; as of May 2026 the older stadium is being staged for partial reopening as a multi-purpose venue, with the Lions of Teranga's primary home base remaining at Diamniadio.

Will Stade Abdoulaye Wade host AFCON?

Stade Abdoulaye Wade did not host AFCON 2025, which was staged in Morocco. The next AFCON Senegal might host has not been confirmed. The stadium is scheduled to host the 2026 Summer Youth Olympics — Senegal's first Olympic-family hosting event and the first Youth Olympics on African soil. Senegal has periodically been mentioned in connection with future AFCON hosting cycles but no formal CAF allocation has been made for tournaments after 2027 (Morocco).