Africa Cup: why ‘sold out’ stadiums are not full | OneFootball

According to L'Équipe, Morocco is grappling with a ticketing problem at the Africa Cup, with declared sell-outs still producing banks of empty seats.

At Rabat's Moulay-Hassan, the stands were half empty 20 minutes before Algeria beat Sudan 3-0. Two travellers from Belfort said getting tickets was hard and some acquaintances stayed away, fearing they might not get in despite the sell-out label.

The fixture, billed as sold out, drew 16,000, well short of the 22,000 expected. The Algerian federation handed out some tickets outside the Marriott d'Agdal on the morning of the game and sought a bigger quota for Sunday's meeting with Burkina Faso.

Morocco's 2-0 opener against Comoros also featured thousands of empty seats despite rapid sales. The issue may lie in the black market, with bulk resellers wrong-footed by phone-based ticketing, including Afcon ticket, complicating transfers and leaving them with stock.

Resale prices reached 500 euros for 50 euro seats, and a downpour in Rabat added disruption, yet ticketing shortcomings remained. Yallah, launched in September 2025, allows transfers only with an account and ID, which some may view as flow control.

Elsewhere at the tournament, sparse crowds are common as fans rarely travel and stays in Morocco are costly. In Agadir on Monday, authorities let spectators in for free for Egypt's opener, fuelling visible support for Mohamed Salah's side.

On Tuesday police dismantled a resale network, arresting eight people. The organising committee is examining why stadiums are not filling.

Source: L'Équipe