The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has sanctioned African Nations Championship (CHAN) co-host, Kenya, for the second time in as many weeks following repeated security lapses. The continental governing body issued a statement on Monday evening announcing a reduction in stadium capacity and a new ticketing policy for the upcoming Group A match between Kenya and Zambia.
The sanctions, a direct response to incidents including ticketless fans overrunning stadium gates and security breaches at the Moi International Sports Centre, mean the 48,000-seat stadium will now only accommodate 27,000 fans. This represents a 60% capacity limit, imposed to ensure the safety of spectators and staff.
In addition to the capacity cap, CAF has prohibited thermal tickets, with entry now strictly limited to electronic ticket holders. the move is an effort to prevent a recurrence of the chaotic scenes and ticketing irregularities witnessed at previous matches. CAF warned that further non-compliance could lead to more severe penalties, including the possibility of relocating future matches.
The governing body warned that Kenya’s matches could be relocated from Kasarani Stadium if organisers fail to prevent further breaches.
“We trust these measures will be applied swiftly to protect competition’s integrity, ensure fan safety, and uphold confidence in Kenya’s commitment to the tournament,” CAF said.
The sanctions follow incidents on Aug. 10 when Kenya defeated two-time winner Morocco 1-0 in spite of playing the entire second half with 10 men.
The win put Kenya top of Group A with seven points.
The debutants would reach the quarterfinals with at least a draw against winless Zambia.
Last week, Kenya’s football federation was fined nearly 20,000 U.S. dollars for security lapses during the team’s 1-0 win over DR Congo in the tournament opener on Aug. 3.
In the latest case, CAF cited major lapses, including stadium gates and restricted service areas being overrun by ticketless spectators and holders of government-distributed physical tickets.
It also accused security personnel of losing control at exit points and allowing breaches of the perimeter fence that enabled thousands of ticketless fans to enter.
CAF had expressed alarm over the use of tear gas and flash grenades, reports of live ammunition fired near spectators and staff, and violent incidents such as stone-throwing at security personnel.
It also cited unsafe vehicle movement in spectator areas, inadequate police response, and the lack of medical incident reports in spite of injuries being reported.
Organisers were further criticised for insufficient communication tools and the absence of CCTV coverage at critical entry points.
