As the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) unfolds in Morocco, growing concerns over ticketing access and stadium attendance are casting a shadow over the tournament’s atmosphere.
While official reports confirm sold-out tickets for high-profile games, stadiums remain surprisingly sparse, raising alarms among fans and analysts alike.
At the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on Friday, Morocco played a 1-1 draw against Mali in Group A.
Despite tickets being sold out for this highly anticipated match, vast sections of the 70,000-capacity venue were noticeably empty.
Official attendance figures indicated 63,844 spectators, but the reality on the ground painted a different picture, leaving many questioning how tickets could be sold out yet so many seats remained vacant.
Marca, a Spanish sports newspaper, has been closely monitoring these attendance discrepancies and reports that only Morocco and Algeria’s group stage matches have sold out. However, the gap between official ticket sales and actual fans in the stands is becoming a major point of contention.
Fans Left Outside Despite ‘Sold-Out’ Claims
Many fans in Morocco have taken to social media and public forums to express their frustration. Amine Mazraoui, a Moroccan supporter, shared his experience of being unable to secure a ticket despite trying early. “I was locked out of the ticketing website due to traffic, and by the time I got in, all tickets were gone,” he said.
Another frustrated fan, Hisham, told Marca that his efforts to purchase tickets were also unsuccessful, as they were sold out by the time he had access to the site. “It felt like we were locked out,” he added.
Ticket Brokers Blamed for Inflated Prices
The situation is further compounded by reports of ticket brokers buying up large quantities of tickets and reselling them at exorbitant prices. In some cases, tickets are being marked up as much as ten times their original cost, making it almost impossible for regular fans to afford.
This practice has sparked outrage, as many supporters feel that the tournament is being hijacked by profiteers rather than providing an opportunity for passionate fans to attend.
The situation isn’t limited to Rabat. In Tangier, where Senegal faced Botswana, a similar trend was observed, with tickets declared sold out but empty seats visible throughout the stadium. Even though officials recorded an attendance of thousands, the contrast between the numbers and what could be seen in the stands was hard to ignore.
