CAF Cuts Kasarani Capacity After Kenyan Fans Breach Security

The Confederation of African Football Host (CAF) has ruled that host nation Kenya’s matches at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) will now be played in front of restricted crowds after security protocols were breached.

Kenya’s national stadium, Kasarani, was filled beyond its 48,000 capacity for the hosts’ match against Morocco after fans broke through security barriers to enter the venue, leading to dangerous overcrowding. Kenya’s opening fixture against Angola was also marred by crowd trouble, according to local media reports.

In a statement, CAF said it “strongly condemns the continuous security breaches, including the incidents that took place on Sunday 10 August 2025 during the Kenya vs Morocco CHAN fixture.”

CAF said Kenya’s remaining matches at the Kasarani will be played in front of no more than 27,000 supporters and slapped the hosts with a $20,000 fine.

“In any game, the agreement between the LOC and CAF was that half the tickets are reserved for purchase by fans, which include fans of Harambee Stars, neutrals, and supporters of Kenya’s opponents. For the Kenya and Morocco game, the stadium capacity was 48,000, so about 24,000 tickets were available for purchase,” LOC chairman Nicolas Musonye told the Daily Nation.

Jecton Obure, the CHAN 2024 Ticketing Coordinator, said that an estimated 75,000 fans entered the Kasarni for the Morocco match.

On Sunday, Kenya play Zambia in Group A and local organisers and the Kenyan FA will set up fan zones in Nairobi to accommodate fans who want to watch the match.

CAF said that it is “in discussions with the Local Organising Committee in Kenya and the Kenyan Government to ensure compliance with the CAF Regulations including Safety and Security protocols.”

Kenya will be one of the three co-hosts for the Africa Cup of Nations in 2027 when the continent’s flagship tournament will be staged for the first time in Eastern Africa.

Insideworldfootball.com