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Rabat – The 2022 Qatar World Cup scenario repeats itself once again during the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, as fans struggle to get match tickets due to networks illegally selling them.
Moroccan police have opened a judicial investigation into the illegal sale of AFCON tickets under the supervision of the relevant public prosecutor’s offices.
Authorities said that eight individuals are suspected of being involved in the illegal trading of match tickets. The case came to light after the national police’s information monitoring units detected posts on social media offering tickets for sale through unauthorized channels.
Following technical investigations and fieldwork, the police were able to identify the suspects. They then carried out security operations in several cities, including Rabat, Temara, Agadir, Salé, Marrakech, and Mohammedia, leading to the arrest of the suspects.
The arrested individuals are now under judicial investigation to determine all circumstances and backgrounds of the case. The authorities also confirmed that investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend other people who may be involved.
Several fans have recently taken to social media to complain about not being able to get a hold of match tickets, with individuals who apparently bought the tickets in bulk from the official website reselling them for inflated prices on the black market.
Some were selling tickets originally priced at MAD 150 ($15) for MAD 1,500 ($150), while tickets originally priced at MAD 500 are being sold in the black market for MAD 3,500 to MAD 4,500.
The overly inflated prices prevented several eager fans from attending the opening ceremony and Morocco’s opener against Comoros. As a result, thousands of seats at the newly renovated Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat remained empty.
Many social media users pointed to around 10,000 empty seats at the 70,000 seats stadium. Fans are hoping authorities will figure out a solution that would allow them to attend the Atlas Lions’ games and cheer for them.
