“Welcome to Egypt,” the last security guard to grope me before I entered Cairo International Stadium said, half embarrassed and half earnest. He genuinely meant his warm welcome, the “Egypt” was said with a lot of pride and his bright smile was assuring. He meant no harm, he was just doing his job.
The country that used to boast 15 millions tourists a year is on a powerful marketing drive to bring back the glory days to the cradle of civilisation — and the Afcon is one way of doing that. The plan is to put on a show and a half with the continent and some parts of the world watching, to entice and assure them that Egypt is open for business. There are countless billboards in Egypt’s capital that scream: “Invest in Egypt. Your getaway to Africa and the world.
His “Welcome to Egypt” was as warm as the hundreds I had received from Egyptians after finding out that I was a foreigner. While the country has moved on from the Arab Spring that dethroned former president Hosni Mubarak, the hangover from those events that led to the 2011 Egyptian Revolution still hangs in the air when it comes to football.
In some matches, especially night games, supporters flash lights at the 22-minute mark and chant “Aboutrika” in honour of exiled Egyptian wizard Mohamed Aboutrika, who wore No. 22. “That’s why it is important that technicians get involved in the decision-making,” said CAF deputy general secretary Anthony Baffoe. “If the Africa Cup of Nations was in January-February, do you think that Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, if Gabon had qualified, would have had the season they had?
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