NAIROBI, Kenya- Despite official ticket sales for Kenya’s CHAN opener against DR Congo being declared sold out, sections of the Moi International Sports Centre — Kasarani Stadium remained noticeably empty, raising concerns over the allocation and actual attendance at the crowd‑capped venue.
Kasarani, which underwent major renovations ahead of CHAN 2024, now accommodates just 48,063 spectators—down from over 60,000—with upgrades aimed at safety, comfort, and broadcasting standards
Yet images and reports from the stadium on matchday showed visible gaps in the stands, despite ticket stock being officially exhausted.
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka addressed the anomaly directly, accusing what he termed “ticket hoarding” by political and other actors.
He lamented that genuine fans were denied access despite the sell‑out status, and vowed to sponsor at least 500 fans for upcoming matches to ensure real attendance and preservation of match atmosphere
Ticket hoarding and corporate allocation have long been blamed in similar global cases where “sold‑out” fixtures result in empty seats.
For instance, fans reviewing IPL matches in India alleged that corporate and sponsor‑allocated seats often go unused, leaving stands visibly sparse even when the event is sold out to the public.
In Kenya’s case, the mismatch between claimed full ticket sales and low physical turnout has fueled suspicion.
The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) is reportedly opening probes into alleged ticket hoarding, aiming to reconcile ticket issuance with real fan attendance figures.
Past matches—during World Cup qualifiers, for example—also revealed gaps where only a fraction of sold tickets translated into actual spectators entering through the gates
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna blamed the government for the empty seats.
