- Address: Kano
- Country: Nigeria
- Capacity: 16,000
- Opened: 1998
- Main use: Football
- Tenants: Kano Pillars (football)
Extra stadium info – Sani Abacha Stadium
The stadium, which is located in northern Nigeria, opened with a capacity of 16,000. It became the largest sports venue by capacity in the city of Kano. The stadium is named after a former Nigerian military officer and politician. Sani Abacha was born in Kano in 1943. He died in 1998 at the age of 54. In 1999, the Sani Abacha Stadium hosted matches for the tournament which is currently known as the FIFA U-20 World Cup. In 2000, it hosted games for the tournament which is currently known as the Africa Cup of Nations. The venue also hosted 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup matches.
1999
In 1999, the Sani Abacha Stadium hosted four matches for the youth football tournament which is currently known as the FIFA U-20 World Cup. The first three of those four matches were group-stage matches. Cameroon won the first one against Japan 2-1. A crowd of 12,000 attended the match. The second one was won by the United States after beating England. Cameroon won the third one after defeating England. The fourth one was a round-of-16 game. On 14 April 1999, Nigeria won the match against Ireland after winning a penalty shoot-out. Spain won the tournament which is currently known as the FIFA U-20 World Cup on 24 April 1999 after beating Japan. A crowd of 38,000 showed up for the final between Spain and Japan, which took place in the Nigerian city of Lagos.
2000
On 23 January 2000, the Sani Abacha Stadium hosted its first-ever game for the tournament which is currently known as the Africa Cup of Nations. The national football team of Egypt won the continental championship match against Zambia 2-0. The national football teams of Burkina Faso, Congo, Senegal and Tunisia also played at the Sani Abacha Stadium during the continental championship. Cameroon won the tournament after defeating Nigeria in a penalty shoot-out. The final between Nigeria and Cameroon took place in Lagos.
2009
The Sani Abacha Stadium hosted its first game for the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup on 26 October 2009. The United Arab Emirates won the match against Malawi 2-0. Burkina Faso, the Italian Republic, Spain, the United States and Uruguay also played at the Sani Abacha Stadium during the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup. The Swiss Confederation, commonly known as Switzerland, won the tournament after defeating Nigeria in the Nigerian city of Abuja.
The Kano Pillars
The Kano Pillars use the venue named Sani Abacha Stadium for home games. The football club, nicknamed Sai Masu Gida, was founded in 1990. In 2008, they were crowned Nigerian football champions for the first time in their history. Kano Pillars Football Club won the title after gathering 64 points in 38 domestic league matches. 17 of those 38 matches ended in a victory for the Pillars. 13 of those 38 matches ended in a draw. In 2009, the Kano Pillars reached the semi-finals of the African championship for football clubs for the first time in their history. Tout Puissaint Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of the Congo won the tournament that year.
