AFCON 2025 organisers open gates to boost crowds in Morocco

Africa Cup of Nations organisers in Morocco are letting fans into stadiums free of charge after matches begin, in a bid to fill empty seats, a Confederation of African Football (CAF) source told AFP.

The Group F fixture between Cameroon and Gabon on Wednesday started in front of sparse stands in Agadir, but attendance swelled during the first half despite heavy rain. Officials later announced a crowd of 35,200 in a venue with capacity for more than 45,000.

Similar scenes have marked the opening days of the tournament, with confusion over attendance figures. At Tuesday’s Group D clash between DR Congo and Benin in Rabat, the initial tally of 6,703 was later corrected to 13,073 as more supporters entered mid-game.

CAF officials said organisers, with the governing body’s approval, have been opening sections of stadiums around 20 minutes after kick-off, allowing waiting fans to enter without tickets.

Ensuring full venues is seen as crucial for Morocco, which is using AFCON as a showcase ahead of co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal.

CAF’s ticketing platform on Thursday listed seats available for most remaining group matches, priced from 100 dirhams ($10.96).

Only four fixtures were sold out: Morocco’s games against Mali (Friday) and Zambia (Monday), plus Algeria’s meetings with Burkina Faso (Sunday) and Equatorial Guinea (next Wednesday).