Organizers of the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco are allowing supporters in for free after kick-off of matches where stadiums are not full, a Confederation of African Football source told AFP.
Wednesday’s Group F match between Cameroon and Gabon in Agadir started in front of almost empty stands, but despite incessant rain the ground filled up significantly over the course of the first half.
The official attendance was later announced as 35,200 in a venue that seats more than 45,000.
There have been similar scenes at numerous matches during the opening days of the competition, even leading to confusion over the attendance figures themselves.
The crowd for Tuesday’s Group D match between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Benin at Al Medina Stadium in Rabat – which filled up significantly over the course of the match – was initially announced at 6,703 but was later corrected to 13,073.
The CAF source indicated that organizers, in agreement with African football’s governing body, opened the stands about 20 minutes after the match so that fans gathered outside could enter without paying.
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Filling stadiums is a key issue for Morocco’s Cup of Nations organizers, with successful hosting of the tournament crucial ahead of the 2030 World Cup to be held jointly by the North African country, Spain and Portugal.
CAF’s official ticketing platform showed on Thursday that seats were available for almost all remaining group matches at prices starting from 100 dirhams ($10.96).
The only matches listed as sold out were Morocco’s matches against Mali on Friday and Zambia on Monday, as well as Algeria against Burkina Faso on Sunday and Algeria against Equatorial Guinea next Wednesday.
Published on December 25, 2025
