Sport in Burkina Faso Sport in Burkina Faso Sport in Burkina Faso is widespread and includes football, basketball, cycling, rugby union, handball, tennis, athletics, boxing and martial arts. Football is very popular in Burkina Faso, played both professionally and informally in towns and villages across the country. The national team is nicknamed "Les Etalons" ("the Stallions") in reference to the legendary horse of Princess Yennenga. In 1998, Burkina Faso hosted the African Cup of Nations for which the Omnisport Stadium in Bobo-Dioulasso was built. Basketball is one of the top sports in Burkina Faso for both men and women. Its national team had its
Raimundo Saporta Pavilion in honor of the club director who had died in February 1997. The pavilion had increased seating capacity of 5,200 seats. The bad economic situation of the club forced club president Florentino Pérez to sell the lands on which the Sports city was located for an estimated 188 million euros in November 2001. The demolition of the arena took place in August 2004, and Real Madrid moved its home games to Palacio Vistalegre. The former site of the Sports city and the Raimundo Saporta Pavilion is now used for the Four Towers Business Area, an Important business park. Raimundo Saporta