The third round of Betking’s Ethiopian Premier League (EPL) matches is scheduled to take place in Dire Dawa.
The Adama Science and Technology University stadium was supposed to host games beginning in week 14; however, Adama City indicated that it would be unable to do so due to security concerns.
The EPL Share Company confirmed that Dire Dawa will host the remaining two games of match week 12 through match week 19.
The university stadium announced it had finished making preparations to host the competition before the Share Company took the decision to hold the games once more in Dire Dawa.
However, three months prior, the Share Company held a discussion and agreed with Adama City’s security division to hold the fixtures. However, the Company’s board of directors said that two stadiums (Bahir Dar and Dire Dawa International Stadium) had been picked as alternatives for the future competition during an emergency meeting on February 5, 2023.
Prior to the Dire Dawa city administration affirming in a letter that it has made adequate preparations to host the competition, the league committee had asked Bahir Dar City Stadium and the Dire Dawa city administration if they could host the matches. But Bahir Dar indicated that the city’s stadium is still undergoing construction and that it will be difficult to halt construction work.
As a result, the “Sheger derby” between St. George and Ethiopia Coffee will take place on Saturday, February 11, at Dire Dawa International Stadium.