The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has denied reports that it had suspended ticket sales for all upcoming African Nations Championship (CHAN) matches at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi, Kenya.

This was revealed by a CAF spokesperson who spoke to BBC Sport on Monday, August 11, with the move reported following chaotic scenes that marred Kenya’s shock 1-0 victory over pre-tournament favourites Morocco at Kasarani Stadium on Sunday, August 10.

However, the spokesperson did state that “CAF is concerned about the security situation witnessed at the Kenya games,” adding that “CAF is engaging with the local organising committee and the (Kenyan) government to address security issues.”

Still, Mookh Africa, CHAN’s ticketing service provider in Kenya, did confirm to the British media outlet that sales for upcoming fixtures at the Moi International Sports Centre have been halted until further notice from organisers. These include Kenya’s Harambee Stars’ final Group A clash against Zambia on Sunday, August 17.

Independent spot checks by Viral Tea on the Mookh platform, by the time of publishing this story, showed that the matches at the Kasarani Stadium were de-listed.

The chaotic scenes saw disorder that included a broken gate, fans sneaking in without tickets, overcrowding beyond the stadium’s 48,063 capacity, and the invasion of media-only areas. Some supporters attempting to enter through a lower gate also alleged police used tear gas on them.

According to multiple videos that were shared on social media, hundreds of supporters were stranded outside the stadium despite holding what seemed to be valid tickets.

Many later discovered they had unknowingly purchased duplicates from individuals who had bought in bulk and resold them to multiple buyers. This has heightened concerns over the unregulated resale market thriving around Kasarani on match days, with witnesses accusing rogue vendors of cashing in just metres from the gates.

Sunday’s chaos at Kasarani was fuelled by ticketing problems and the overwhelming desire of Kenyan fans to watch their team face Morocco on home turf, in what many had viewed as Harambee Stars’ toughest match of the group stage.

With less than half an hour to kick-off, the stadium was still only half full, but frustration soon boiled over as some fans began scaling the perimeter fence to enter illegally. Despite a heavy security presence, multiple breaches occurred from one end of the venue, nearly triggering a stampede.

By the time Ryan Ogam netted the winning goal for Benni McCarthy’s side, the stadium appeared over capacity, forcing some Harambee Stars fans into the press box for a better view — a move that left Moroccan journalists fearing for their safety.

The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and the CHAN local organising committee were yet to issue official statements on the matter by the time of going to press.

The incident came just days after CAF fined FKF Ksh2.5 million over poor crowd control, warning of harsher measures if similar problems persisted. 

Kasarani is scheduled to stage three more CHAN fixtures, that is, Kenya’s group clash with Zambia on Sunday, a quarter-final match and the final.

Fans have voiced frustrations over the ticketing process, with several alleging that some games were listed as sold out even before the advertised sales time. Many are calling on authorities to fix glitches in the online ticketing platform and take tougher action against fraudsters.

Kenya is co-hosting CHAN — the biennial tournament for home-based players — alongside Tanzania and Uganda, with security concerns at Nairobi venues flagged even before the delayed competition began. The three nations are also set to jointly host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).