The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has imposed strict new attendance and security measures at Kasarani Stadium following chaotic scenes during Harambee Stars’ 1-0 victory over Morocco at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024.
What should have been a day of celebration after Ryan Ogam’s winning goal turned sour due to widespread crowd trouble. The stadium saw fans scaling fences, forcing gates open, and overfilling stands beyond the official 48,063 capacity. Many ticket holders found themselves stranded outside, some after unknowingly buying the same ticket twice from rogue resellers. Reports also emerged of police using tear gas at one of the gates, triggering panic and minor injuries.
CAF’s disciplinary and security committees have opened formal investigations but have already introduced immediate restrictions for Kenya’s remaining home games at the tournament. Kasarani’s capacity will be capped at 60%, meaning only about 27,000 fans will be allowed inside. Entry will be limited strictly to electronic ticket holders, with paper-based thermal tickets banned entirely to curb counterfeiting and bulk resales.
In addition, CAF has instructed the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) and Kenyan authorities to launch a public awareness campaign outlining safety protocols and entry requirements. Failure to comply could see Kenya’s remaining matches moved to another venue.
The directive highlights serious lapses in match-day organization, including loss of control at entry and exit points, violent altercations between fans and security personnel, unauthorized vehicle movement within fan areas, and a lack of CCTV coverage at main gates. It also criticized the ineffective police response and the failure to file medical reports despite confirmed injuries.
With three more CHAN 2024 fixtures scheduled at Kasarani including a crucial group match against Zambia and a quarter-final organizers face a race against time to restore order and meet CAF’s demands. The measures are designed not only to ensure fan safety but also to protect the integrity of the tournament.
CAF’s warning is clear: unless significant improvements are made, future Harambee Stars home fixtures could be stripped from the venue altogether. For Kenya, the challenge now is to balance the passionate home support with the professional security standards required for hosting international football at the highest level.
