Organisers at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco are allowing supporters to enter stadiums for free after kick-off when matches begin with large numbers of empty seats, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The Group F match between Cameroon and Gabon in Agadir on Wednesday started in front of near-empty stands. However, despite heavy rain, attendance increased noticeably during the first half.
Official figures later put the crowd at 35,200 in a stadium with a capacity of more than 45,000.
Similar situations have been observed during the opening days of the tournament, raising questions over attendance reporting. In Group D, the match between DRC and Benin in Rabat initially had its crowd announced at 6,703, before the figure was later revised to 13,073 as more fans entered during the game.
The source said organisers, working in agreement with African football’s governing body, have been opening sections of stadiums around 20 minutes after kick-off to allow fans waiting outside to enter without paying.
Ensuring fuller stadiums is a key concern for organisers, with Morocco keen to deliver a strong tournament as part of its preparations ahead of the 2030 World Cup, which it will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
Ticket availability remains high for most group-stage matches. The official ticketing platform showed seats on sale for almost all remaining games, with prices starting from 100 dirhams, around $11.
The only matches listed as sold out are Morocco’s fixtures against Mali and Zambia, along with Algeria’s games versus Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea.