By Horn Africa News
NAIROBI – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has once again sanctioned African Nations Championship (CHAN) co-host Kenya, citing serious security failures at Moi International Sports Center, Kasarani.
In its Monday evening statement, CAF ordered that Sunday’s Group A clash between Kenya and Zambia be limited to 27,000 spectators – far below the 48,000-seat capacity – with electronic tickets only accepted. Thermal paper tickets are banned.
CAF warned it could relocate Kenya’s matches from Kasarani if organizers fail to prevent further breaches.
“We trust these measures will be applied swiftly to protect the competition’s integrity, ensure fan safety, and uphold confidence in Kenya’s commitment to the tournament,” the body said.
The sanctions follow crowd trouble on 10 August, when Kenya beat two-time champions Morocco 1–0 despite playing with 10 men for the second half. That result left Kenya top of Group A with seven points, needing only a draw against winless Zambia to reach the quarterfinals.
Last week, Kenya’s football federation was fined nearly USD 20,000 over security lapses during their 1–0 win over DR Congo in the opener on 3 August.
In its latest ruling, CAF cited:
• Stadium gates and restricted areas overrun by ticketless fans and holders of unofficial government-issued tickets
• Security personnel losing control at exit points and breaches of the perimeter fence
• Use of tear gas, flash grenades, and reports of live ammunition near spectators
• Stone-throwing at security staff, unsafe vehicle movement in crowd areas, and poor police response
• No CCTV at key entrances and inadequate communication tools
• Missing medical incident reports despite reported injuries
CAF’s warning signals growing concern over Kenya’s ability to ensure safety and order as the CHAN tournament progresses.
