The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has taken a firm stance on spectator safety, limiting the number of fans allowed at Kenya’s home matches at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, to 27,000. This decision, which reduces the stadium’s capacity to 60 per cent, comes in the wake of repeated and serious security breaches during the ongoing CHAN 2024 tournament.
The immediate restrictions were imposed after Kenya failed to adequately manage crowd control and safety during the Harambee Stars’ recent fixture against Morocco. This was not an isolated incident, as it followed multiple warnings from CAF and a Sh2.5 million fine for similar issues during Kenya’s opening match against the Democratic Republic of Congo on August 3.
In a statement released on Monday, CAF detailed a series of security failures that compromised the safety of fans and officials. The report highlighted instances of fans without tickets, and those with government-issued paper tickets, overrunning gates and breaching perimeter fences. The chaos extended beyond the stadium gates, with crowd control failing at the Ngomongo roundabout, leading to uncontrolled entry into the sports centre.
The situation escalated to the use of tear gas and flash grenades by police, with reports of live ammunition being fired near spectators. Other cited incidents included stone-throwing at security personnel, unsafe vehicle movement within spectator areas, and a lack of adequate police intervention and medical incident reporting.
As a result, CAF has mandated a strict 27,000-ticket limit for all upcoming home matches at Kasarani, with a crucial change to ticketing procedures. Entry will be granted exclusively to holders of electronic tickets, and thermal paper tickets have been banned to prevent further breaches.
“Entry is strictly limited to electronic ticket holders; thermal tickets are prohibited,” the CAF statement read. “The Local Organizing Committee and the government are to launch a public media campaign reinforcing safety protocols and entry requirements.”
CAF has issued a stern warning that any failure to comply with these new directives could lead to more severe sanctions, including the possibility of moving Harambee Stars’ home matches to an alternative venue.
“We trust these measures will be applied swiftly to protect the competition’s integrity, ensure fan safety, and uphold confidence in Kenya’s commitment to the Tournament,” CAF concluded.
The new restrictions have been a major talking point, adding to the ongoing discussions around the tournament, including the recent controversy over ticket sales for the Kenya-Zambia match, which sold out before sales officially opened, leaving many fans outraged.
