The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has suspended ticket sales for all matches at Kasarani Stadium including next Sunday’s Kenya vs Zambia clash, after a series of alarming safety breaches during the Harambee Stars’ game against Morocco.
The high stakes CHAN 2024 qualifier descended into chaos on August 10 with reports of a broken gate, fans entering without tickets, overcrowding, the invasion of the media centre, and the use of tear gas. CAF has launched an investigation and will decide on further action once it concludes.
While Kenyan supporters have turned out in huge numbers to cheer on the national team, security lapses have become a recurring theme. CAF has already fined the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) multiple times this campaign for flouting safety and security regulations including nearly KSh 2.5 million after earlier incidents involving Kenya vs DR Congo at Kasarani and Angola vs Morocco at Nyayo Stadium.
Only days before the Morocco match, CAF fined FKF a further KSh 1.78 million for breaches during the 1-1 draw with Angola on August 7 citing ticketless entries, VIP/VVIP mishandling, and flares inside the stadium.
The Morocco game may yet result in another financial penalty. Footage widely shared online shows frustrated fans forcing entry after claiming they had purchased legitimate tickets from fraudulent dealers. Many jumped barricades and walls, overwhelming security officers.
Kasarani was visibly over capacity, with supporters packed into stairways and standing areas, clear violations of CAF’s own Safety and Security Regulations. Article 15 explicitly forbids granting entry without a valid ticket, while Article 13 warns that overcrowding poses unacceptable risks of injury and fatalities.
With CAF tightening enforcement, FKF now faces pressure to restore order at home fixtures or risk heavier sanctions that could see Kenya’s matches moved away from Nairobi.
