Kenya will have to face Zambia in the African Nations Championship (CHAN) with fewer supporters in the stands after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) imposed restrictions following repeated crowd trouble.
Nicholas Musonye, chairman of the local organising committee, confirmed on Tuesday that only 27,000 fans with valid online tickets will be allowed into Nairobi’s Kasarani Stadium for the game. The decision comes after several incidents in which spectators forced their way into the venue without tickets during previous Kenya matches. Physical tickets will not be accepted, and the stadium’s CHAN capacity is 48,000.
“It’s our own poor behaviour that brought this,” Musonye admitted. “Our security teams will be fully on alert to ensure the order is respected.”
The trouble has cast a shadow over the first-ever CHAN tournament jointly hosted by three East African nations ; Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda which had already faced delays over stadium readiness. Videos of chaotic stadium rushes went viral online, prompting CAF to fine the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) $17,500.
FKF president Hussein Mohammed urged fans to follow the rules to avoid more severe sanctions. “The future of Kenyan football depends on collective responsibility,” he said. “Persistent breaches could deny fans the chance to enjoy events like this and wipe out the progress we’ve made.”
Despite the reduced capacity, the Kenya–Zambia match set for Sunday was already sold out by Tuesday. The FKF will set up official fan zones for supporters unable to get into the stadium.
Kenya currently lead Group A with seven points, and a win over Zambia would secure a home quarter-final spot.
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