Kenya loves football. No doubt about that. The 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) has made that love shine even brighter. Kenya is co-hosting this big event with Tanzania and Uganda, and football fans are buzzing all over East Africa.
This tournament is special because only players from local leagues get to play. Think of it like a practice run for the big Africa Cup of Nations coming in 2027. Cities like Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Kampala, and Zanzibar have suddenly become football hotspots. Fans and scouts from many places have gathered, hoping to spot the next big star.
Nineteen countries sent their best local players to compete.
Kenyaβs first game at Kasarani was supposed to be a big party. Tickets sold out fast, which surprised many because the stadium can hold 48,000 people. Prices were fair, so everyone thought Kasarani would be packed on August 3 when Harambee Stars faced DR Congo.
And guess what? Fans showed up in huge numbers. Families, friends β all ready to cheer. But getting into the stadium was no walk in the park. Security was tight, with checks and scans everywhere. Some fans were not happy about the long waits.
Traffic police closed some roads and put up barricades to help control the crowd. This made some drivers grumble because they had to take detours. Some fans had to walk a long way from drop-off points to the stadium gates. If you were hoping to just pop in, think again!
Then came the surprise twist. CAF, the African football bosses, banned some fan favorites β no vuvuzelas, no flags, no whistles. And food? Nope. If you didnβt eat at home, tough luck. Even peanut and crisps sellers were kicked out. So many fans ended up hungry and waving flags in their stomachs instead.
Not surprisingly, some fans got fed up and broke through security.
Lots of Kenyans break through an exit and run into the stadium without tickets for the CHAN Morocco match pic.twitter.com/t3fj29Tf5m
β Larry Madowo (@LarryMadowo) August 10, 2025
Chaos broke out for a bit, but once President William Ruto, Raila Odinga, and CAF President Patrice Motsepe arrived, things settled down, and the game kicked off.
Despite the rough start, fans left smiling. Kenya won 1-0 thanks to a beautiful goal by Austine Onyango, nicknamed βRolls Royce.β Onyango danced past defenders and scored just before halftime. The nickname fits β smooth and classy on the ball.
The Sports Ministry was happy too and gave the players and technical team a big bonus β Sh42 million total. Thatβs about Sh1 million each for 27 players and 15 staff. Not bad for a dayβs work!
But behind the scenes, things were less shiny. There was a ticket mess. Even though tickets βsold out,β some sections had empty seats. What happened?
Turns out, some politicians and government departments bought tons of tickets. Why? To keep out fans they thought might protest. These tickets ended up with security officers, supporters, and special groups.
A politician from South C even bragged online about tickets he bought for supporters. Korogocho MCA Absalom Odhiambo, aka Matakwei, was spotted outside City Hall giving away free tickets, saying, βI have more than 100 tickets. If you want to be at Kasarani, come find me.β
Even the prisons got involved! A memo asked officers to send in names if they wanted to watch CHAN games.
Social media exploded with videos of local leaders showing off stacks of tickets for their followers. Meanwhile, real fans struggled to get in.
CHAN organizers introduced a digital ticket system called Mookh Africa to stop these problems. But it had a big flaw β no limits on how many tickets one person could buy. This allowed leaders to hoard tickets and left many fans out in the cold.
Some fans tried breaking barriers to get inside, risking their safety just to watch the game they love.
At the time of writing, neither CAF nor the ticket system company had answered these claims. The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) said it was not responsible for the chaos.
CAF is not happy either. They plan to fine FKF Sh2.5 million for security failures during the matches.
At Gate 11, fans pushed through guards, causing a stampede that hurt some people. A motorcycle was even seen moving dangerously through the crowd. Someone must have thought it was a race track.
Fires were lit behind the stands β hopefully not for barbecues. There was trouble in the VIP section, too. CAF officials were blocked from entering, and a security guard reportedly attacked a CAF staff member. Definitely not the VIP treatment anyone wants.
Then came the big moment on August 10 when Kenya took on Morocco β a heavyweight clash in Group A. The match started with both teams pushing hard. Kenya attacked early and even won a corner kick, but Moroccoβs defense kept them out.
The tension was high, but Kenya stayed strong. In the 42nd minute, Wesley Ogam scored the gameβs only goal, sending the crowd into wild celebration.
The game wasnβt easy. Kenyaβs Marvin Nabwire got a red card, leaving the team with only 10 players. Most teams would panic, but Harambee Stars kept their shape and fought on.
There was a scary moment when a penalty was given then ruled out by VAR. Morocco also thought they had scored at the end, but VAR ruled the goal offside. VAR was the real hero and villain that day!
The referee added seven minutes of injury time. Kenya held on tight and won 1-0. This victory made Kenya the second team to qualify for the quarterfinals, after Tanzania.
The win also came with a bonus β Sh1 million for each player, thanks to President William Ruto.
Across the city, fans at Nyayo Stadium were also cheering for their teams. The love for football in East Africa is truly alive and kicking.
Featured image via Screengrab