Authorities arrest suspects after AFCON ticket resale scandal causes fan outrage
Moroccan judicial police have launched investigations into eight individuals suspected of illegally reselling tickets for Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) matches taking place in Morocco. The arrests follow a surge in complaints from fans angry over soaring black market prices and widespread fraud linked to unauthorized resales.
Cyber units within the national police reportedly identified a network of sellers offering AFCON match tickets through social media and other illicit platforms. The operation led to coordinated arrests in Rabat, Temara, Agadir, Sale, Marrakesh, and Mohammedia, according to official statements.
Authorities reiterated warnings against ticket scalping during high-profile sporting events, citing risks of fraud, public disorder, and consumer exploitation. The issue came to light after thousands of fans expressed frustration online, particularly over inflated prices for the Morocco–Mali matchup.
Tickets that originally cost 150 MAD were being sold for up to 1,800 MAD on unofficial platforms, while higher-tier tickets priced at 500 MAD reached 3,500 MAD. The rapid sellout on the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) official website fueled further demand on secondary markets.
Reports indicate similar practices occurred during Morocco’s opening match, with scalpers reselling tickets at more than 3,000 MAD. Despite the event being officially sold out, only around 60,000 fans attended in a stadium built for 68,000, leaving visible empty seats and sparking further anger among supporters.
Numerous fans also claimed they were defrauded by illicit sellers. Some reported paying over 2,500 MAD for counterfeit tickets with invalid QR codes, leaving them stranded outside stadiums under heavy rain.
CAF, in response, reaffirmed that official tickets are available exclusively via its authorized online platform, tickets.cafonline.com, and classified all other resale sources as fraudulent. The Local Organizing Committee had previously introduced the YALLA app, a digital system requiring fans to create a verified Fan ID before purchasing tickets, limiting each account to one ticket per match.
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