AFCON organizers are literally letting people into games for free. The Confederation of African Football and local organizers in Morocco are allowing fans to enter stadiums without tickets after matches begin, a move confirmed by a CAF source. This policy aims to fill seats for the Africa Cup of Nations tournament. Empty stands at games like the Group F match between Cameroon and Gabon in Agadir prompted the decision, even with an official count later given as 35,200 in a 45,000-seat venue. The strategy involves opening gates around twenty minutes into play for crowds waiting outside.
This explains the wonky attendance numbers across the event. The Group D game in Rabat between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Benin at the Al Medina Stadium had its figure revised from 6,703 to over 13,073. Similar scenes of stadiums filling slowly have been common. Organizers view full venues as critical for a successful tournament, especially with Morocco co-hosting the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal.
Tickets remain easily available for most group games on the official platform for about 100 Moroccan dirhams. Only a few matches are listed as sold out, specifically those featuring host nation Morocco against Mali and Zambia, plus Algeria's games versus Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea.
This explains the wonky attendance numbers across the event. The Group D game in Rabat between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Benin at the Al Medina Stadium had its figure revised from 6,703 to over 13,073. Similar scenes of stadiums filling slowly have been common. Organizers view full venues as critical for a successful tournament, especially with Morocco co-hosting the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal.
Tickets remain easily available for most group games on the official platform for about 100 Moroccan dirhams. Only a few matches are listed as sold out, specifically those featuring host nation Morocco against Mali and Zambia, plus Algeria's games versus Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea.
