According to the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), ticket sales to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match between Kenya and Gabon have earned the country nearly Sh7 million, which is a significant revenue source following the increased demand to watch the national team’s performance in the event.
On Monday, FKF President Hussein Mohamed said that 17,735 tickets were sold in total for the game that was played on Sunday at Nyayo Stadium and it was the first competitive international match to be hosted in Kenya in over two years.
According to Mohamed, the revenue collected through the ticketing process of Sh6,998,497 was a combination of various types of tickets, such as regular, VIP, VVIP and car park tickets. He stressed that the support of fans was good despite the limited capacity of stadiums (which had been restricted to 22,000 because of the continuous renovation process and CAF safety requirements).
We have sold 15,968 regular tickets and 1331 VIP tickets. We had 107 VVIP ticket holders and 329 car park passes, Mohamed explained. Thanks to fans, we would like to express our gratitude and attendance.
Nonetheless, the FKF boss admitted that there were problems of crowd control reported before, during, and after the match, where one gate of the stadium was destroyed due to an overflow of the supporters. He encouraged the event attendees of the future to observe safety measures that would prevent such accidents.
As the match finished in defeat to Kenya by 2 to 1, it was a big blow to the team in terms of their chances of advancing in the qualifiers of the World Cup. Although the federation lost, Mohamed emphasized that the federation is determined to make the matchday experiences better, such as tightening the e- ticketing systems to avoid loopholes and misinformation.
It has been rumoured about counterfeit tickets, but this matter has not been proven yet. Any legitimate and supported information is invited to assist us in dealing with issues, he said.
Authorities are now considering whether Nyayo Stadium would remain the venue of future international matches or whether national team matches would be transferred to Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, when it is renovated. Facility improvements, including installing more effective guards against pitch invasions and sitting in the media tribune, are already being made, the FKF said.
The chairperson of the Local Organising Committee of the Africa Nations Championship, Nicholas Musonye, praised the fans who came in great numbers but also urged them to behave in an orderly manner in and around the venue to enable athletes and their fans have a safe environment.
