This is Mali's showpiece, which will host the opening game and the final.
Its capacity dwarfs that of the other venues.
Situated on the edge of Bamako on the road to Segou, the Chinese-built stadium has a good playing surface and has already undergone a number of high-profile dress rehearsals.
The biggest of those was West Africa's Amilcar Cabral tournament in November.
But it has not yet been filled to capacity and the home side could find the atmosphere for the opener just as intimidating as their opponents.