Kenya, co-host of the ongoing African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024, has been fined $50,000 by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for serious safety and security breaches during Sunday’s match against Morocco at Nairobi’s Kasarani Stadium. CAF has also warned that if crowd trouble continues, Kenya could lose the right to host the quarterfinals — and potentially future tournaments, including its bid for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. The tournament, the biggest in CHAN history, is being jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, drawing massive crowds and festive celebrations across the region. But in Nairobi, the excitement has turned chaotic.
According to CAF, the breaches included fans storming gates without tickets, assaults on match officials, the lighting of fires inside the stadium, and the dangerous use of tear gas, flash grenades, and even live ammunition. The incidents followed earlier disturbances during the August 3 opening match against DR Congo, when Kenyan fans forced entry into the stadium and attacked staff. The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has already been fined over $17,000 for previous incidents at Kasarani. Sunday’s shock 2-1 victory by the Harambee Stars over pre-tournament favourites Morocco only fueled more unruly celebrations, further straining security.
CAF has ordered Kenya to deploy more security personnel, enforce road closures on match days, and ensure stricter perimeter control at stadium entrances. As an immediate measure, attendance for the upcoming match against Zambia will be cut from 48,000 to 27,000 — just 60% of the stadium’s capacity. Nicholas Musonye, Chairman of CHAN’s Local Organising Committee, expressed disappointment at the repeated violations. “We are frustrated because a few have chosen to break rules and tarnish the country’s image. If trouble persists on Sunday, we may not host the quarterfinal,” he warned. The incidents threaten not only Kenya’s role in CHAN 2024 but also its credibility as a safe venue for major African football events.
