The 34th edition of the African Cup of Nations kicked off on Saturday, January 13, 2024, but witnessed a less-than-expected number of spectators in attendance. In light of the reduced turnout, the President of the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) has expressed his thoughts on the matter.
The opening ceremony of the tournament took place at the Stade Alassane Ouattara d’Ebimpé. The day was characterized by a lower audience than anticipated. Despite the announcement by the COCAN of a sell-out for the first match which saw Ivory Coast beat Guinea-Bissau 2-0, the stadium only welcomed 36,858 fans, even though its capacity is 60,000 seats. This attendance figure represents a 61.43% occupancy rate, revealing many empty seats and raising questions about fan mobilization.
Following the game, Yacine Idriss Diallo, President of the FIF, spoke in a post-match interview. He conveyed his intention to understand the reasons behind the poor attendance. “We will try to figure out why there were fewer people because fundamentally, even the match against Seychelles had a larger crowd. Is it because the public was afraid of the rain, the distance, or security conditions? However, everyone can be reassured, the security forces did an exceptional job, and they deserve congratulations. Gradually, I believe the crowd attendance at the stadium will increase,” he stated.
Nevertheless, he expressed his confidence in a gradual improvement in the turnout of supporters, commending the work of the security forces at this inaugural event of AFCON 2023.
