AFCON organisers allow free entry after kick-off to fill seats, as Morocco aims for a successful tournament ahead of co-hosting the 2030 World Cup.
RABAT: Organisers of the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco are allowing fans to enter for free after kick-off in matches with low attendance, a Confederation of African Football source told AFP.
The policy aims to fill empty stands, with supporters gathered outside permitted to enter without paying around 20 minutes into games.
This followed scenes like the Group F match between Cameroon and Gabon in Agadir, which started with almost empty stands but filled up significantly during the first half.
The official attendance for that match was later announced as 35,200 in a stadium with a capacity of over 45,000.
Similar situations have occurred at numerous matches, even causing confusion over official attendance figures.
The crowd for Tuesday’s Group D game between DR Congo and Benin in Rabat was initially announced as 6,703 before being corrected to 13,073.
Filling stadiums is a priority for Morocco as it seeks a successful tournament ahead of co-hosting the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal.
CAF’s official ticketing platform showed seats available for most remaining group matches starting at 100 dirhams.
Only hosts Morocco’s games against Mali and Zambia, plus Algeria’s matches against Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea, were listed as sell-outs.
