Guinea-Bissau Honor Pele Rename Stadium
The government of Guinea-Bissau announced on Friday that a sports stadium in its second city, Bafata, had been renamed “Pele Stadium” in memory of the late Brazilian football hero.
The choice was made during a cabinet meeting after a minute of silence was observed in honor of Pele, who passed away on December 29 at the age of 82, according to a statement from the government of the West African country.
The regional stadium can hold roughly 15,000 spectators.
About 150 kilometers (90 miles) east of Bissau, the country’s capital, is Bafata.
The “Pele Stadium” moniker was also given to the stadium in Praia, the capital city of Cape Verde, according to a statement made by the prime minister on Wednesday.
In response to FIFA president Gianni Infantino‘s request that each member nation of the international football association name one of its stadiums after the star player, the two African nations changed the names of their respective stadiums.
Following Pele’s passing, hundreds of football officials and supporters flocked to the Santos stadium in Brazil, where he had played from 1956 to 1974.
Pele was laid to rest in a 200 square meter (2,150 square foot) mausoleum in Santos’ vertical cemetery, where he was honored by a sizable crowd of admirers.
