When the Confederation of African Football (CAF) chose Tanzania as one of the hosts for continental matches, many expected stadiums to be packed. To attract fans, tickets were sold cheaply going for as little as Tsh 10,000. But despite the low prices, the turnout was far below expectations, leaving CAF and local organizers disappointed.
The main issue was not that people didn’t want to watch. Instead, CAF had strict rules that limited how many fans could enter. Large parts of stadiums were kept closed to follow safety and crowd-control protocols. This meant that even when people had tickets, they sometimes couldn’t access the seats they wanted, and the stadiums looked half-empty on TV.
Tanzania also faced challenges with its main venue, Benjamin Mkapa Stadium. Renovations were not completed in time, and CAF declared the stadium unfit to host some big matches. Games had to be moved elsewhere, which killed excitement among many fans who had been looking forward to watching at the famous ground.
To make matters worse, the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) was fined USD 10,000 after safety lapses were reported during the Tanzania vs. Burkina Faso match. This raised more concerns about stadium management and may have discouraged some fans from attending.
On paper, the ticket pricing was perfect for fans VIP at Tsh 50,000, mid-tier at Tsh 30,000, and regular entry at Tsh 10,000. But cheap tickets mean little if the venues are not fully open, or if fans feel it will be difficult to get in and enjoy the game.
Similar problems were seen in other co-host countries like Kenya, where empty seats were also noticeable. Across the region, fans were left frustrated, saying the experience didn’t match the hype.
