Concerns Over Atmosphere at Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco

RABAT, Morocco — South Africa’s head coach, Hugo Broos, has voiced his concerns regarding the noticeably subdued atmosphere at the 35th Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

Broos, who previously led Cameroon to victory in 2017 and secured a third-place finish with South Africa in the 2023 edition, remarked on Sunday that the excitement typically associated with the tournament seems to be lacking.

“In the Ivory Coast and Gabon, you could feel the tournament’s spirit at every moment,” Broos stated. “People would wave flags as we passed by on the bus to our training sessions, but here, there is little to no engagement. I don’t sense the typical AFCON vibe in this environment.”

Speaking from Marrakech ahead of South Africa’s final group match against Zimbabwe, Broos reflected on the team’s journey thus far. The Bafana Bafana began their campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Angola but suffered a 1-0 defeat to Egypt in Agadir. As it stands, Egypt is already through to the knockout stages with six points from two matches, while South Africa holds three points, and both Angola and Zimbabwe have one point each.

Angola will face Egypt on Monday, with the top two teams from each group advancing, along with the best third-place teams.

However, organizers have faced significant challenges in filling stadiums, exacerbated by poor weather conditions, including daily rainfall except for Christmas Day when there were no matches scheduled. The tournament had been originally planned for the summer but was postponed to winter to avoid a clash with FIFA’s newly scheduled Club World Cup in the United States.

Even matches featuring Morocco, which have seen sold-out crowds, have experienced empty seats, with ticket touting complicating fans’ attempts to access the nearly 70,000-capacity Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, where the home team plays all its group matches.

In an effort to boost attendance, security at various stadiums has permitted fans free entry after kickoff. This has led to many supporters waiting outside with the hope of being allowed in.

“The match between South Africa and Angola had minimal attendance,” Broos critiqued, highlighting the disorganization ahead of his team’s subsequent game against Egypt. “People with tickets were unable to enter due to the crowd of ticketless individuals who were granted access.”

While acknowledging the quality of the stadiums—each newly constructed or renovated for the tournament—Broos lamented the unusually ‘cool’ atmosphere at this year’s AFCON.

“If access restrictions continue, there will be no spectators,” he asserted. “No one is coming to watch the South Africa-Zimbabwe match.”

Morocco is also set to co-host the 2030 World Cup, further emphasizing the importance of addressing these organizational issues.