28,000 Fans to Attend CHAN Match for Free Thanks to Govt
Fans wishing to watch the African Nations Championship (CHAN) third-place play-off game between Sudan and Senegal can do so for free after Uganda’s Local Organising Committee (LOC) announced the purchase of 28,000 tickets for fans.
The announcement was made on Thursday, August 28, by LOC spokesperson Denis Mugimba, who confirmed that the move was a token of appreciation to fans for their continued support during the tournament.
The decision to release free tickets came in the wake of an alarmingly low turnout during the recent semi-final clash between Senegal and Morocco, played at Namboole Stadium in Uganda.
In an effort to avoid a repeat and ensure fans get a chance to be part of the sporting event, the LOC stepped in to bridge the gap by eliminating ticket-purchasing logistics.
“This is the way the Local Organising Committee is saying thank you to our fans who made our homeland proud during this historic experience of hosting CHAN for the first time,” said Dr Mugimba.
The LOC purchased all 28,000 tickets directly from CAF, and the official ticketing portal has since been updated to reflect the change, with “NOT FOR SALE” tickets available for download using a promo code.
Fans interested in attending the game can claim their free tickets via theCAF ticketing portalafter providing details such as name, phone number and email address.
Fans will then be required to enter the promo code CHAN3RD to complete the transaction without payment. Each individual can obtain a maximum of three tickets, with the system configured to prevent multiple or duplicate entries.
Notably, out of the three host nations for the 2024 CHAN, Kenya has been the most active in terms of fan support, with supporters flocking to both the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, and Nyayo Stadium, which did not host any of the Harambee Stars matches.
Kenya will host the CHAN 2024final between Madagascar and Moroccoon Saturday, August 30, and it is highly expected the Kasarani stadium will experience a large turnout, as has been the case during previous games.
It remains unclear whether CAF will allow Kasarani Stadium to host its full capacity of fans, particularly after sanctioning Kenya over fan incidents during group-stage matches. During the quarter-final game against Madagascar, CAF allowed 34,000 spectators inside the stadium.
In Uganda, the third-place play-off will take place on Friday from 6 p.m., with entertainment starting an hour earlier. The LOC reiterated that despite the free tickets for fans, all CAF rules and restrictions still apply, particularly regarding prohibited items in the stadium.
