While the stadiums of the first matches of this CAN 2024 are, for certain matches, sparse, the public is wondering. Were the tickets actually sold, as the organizers assured last week? Monday evening, CAF and the CAN Organizing Committee issued a press release to respond to this controversy.
3 mins
With 38,000 spectators announced on Saturday at opening match Ivory Coast-Guinea Bissau and 8,500 for the Nigeria-Equatorial Guinea match on Sunday at the Alassane Ouattara Olympic stadium in Ebimpe, the gauges displayed this weekend are below the objectives expected by the CAN Organizing Committee (Cocan).
Read alsoThe CAN 2024 match schedule
A situation which disturbs the public, and in particular people who claim not to have been able to buy a ticket. On social networks, many Ivorians denounce the responsibility of people who bought dozens of tickets online to speculate, but who did not manage to resell them in time. Some tickets are sometimes offered at prices ten times higher than the initial prices.
“ Defections from communities and businesses »
Originally, ” all tickets were sold for the opening match », Says a Cocan manager. But, continues this source, “ there were defections from communities and businesses who ordered group purchases “. “ These tickets were therefore put back on sale at the last minute », which explains the empty seats in the stadium, concludes this source, which does not specify the volume of these tickets put back on sale.
In Bouaké this Monday, January 15, videos relayed on social networks showed the mayor of the city Amadou Koné distributing free tickets to try to fill the Peace Stadium and its 40,000 seats for the Algeria-Angola match. Dozens of people lined up to try to obtain the precious sesame for free. In the end, 19,000 people attended the meeting, according to official figures.
If the stands of other posters are also often sparse, it is also because “ that there is enthusiasm for the national team and the host country, but the other matches do not attract crowds », notes another source at Cocan. “ With the political crises, Ivorians have been avoiding the stadiums for around fifteen years, it takes time to come back », Notes an expert.
“ Results within 48 hours »
Faced with the growing controversy over the issue of tickets in Ivory Coast, Prime Minister Beugré Mambé had to step up to the plate. “ We take matters into our own hands and you will see results within 48 hours », he assured, while specifying however the ticketing was “ the affair of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) “.
#Sport | CAN 2023/ Problems linked to Ticketing: the Prime Minister announces solutions within 48 hours
Yamoussoukro, January 15, 2024 – Prime Minister Robert Mambé Beugré reassured that solutions will be found to the problems linked to the acquisition of tickets… pic.twitter.com/PwY7mrccI9
— Government of Ivory Coast (@Gouvci) January 15, 2024
In a note addressed to the press, CAF and Cocan announced that they wanted “ reassure the population about the measures taken to guarantee easy access to the competition ticket office “. In particular, they ensure that tickets reserved for foreign supporters or companies which have not found a buyer will be put back on sale. CAF and Cocan also say “ conscious ” of the ” strong demand » and the difficulties encountered by supporters wishing to purchase their tickets online. They therefore encourage the public to buy their tickets at one of the 51 points of sale set up throughout Côte d’Ivoire. The price of tickets for group matches varies between 3,000 and 10,000 FCFA (between €4 and €15).