After a match that began in a virtually empty stadium, the organizers made the Egypt-Zimbabwe game completely free of charge on Monday night, allowing more than 30,000 spectators to finish the match. However, this initiative, which doesn't appear to be an isolated case, raises questions for the rest of the tournament.

This is one of the defining images of the start of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. On Monday evening, during the national anthems of the Egypt-Zimbabwe match, the Adrar Stadium in Agadir was practically empty, filled with only a few hundred fans. But the match ended in front of more than 30,000 spectators, according to several estimates. The reason? The organizers opened the gates, free of charge, to allow spectators in.

Several videos circulating on social media document the scene. They show thousands of spectators entering the stadium, taking their seats, and watching the match without any ticket checks. This appears to be a way for the organizers to compensate for ticket sales that were far from full, except for the flagship matches, including those featuring Morocco, the host country.

Free, one-off or recurring access?

Earlier in the day, the match between Mali and Zambia (1-1) in Casablanca was also played in front of nearly empty stands at the start of the game. However, the stadium saw a larger crowd towards the end. This is a recurring problem at the Africa Cup of Nations, exacerbated by matches being played during the day and on weekdays. The organizers' decisions will now be closely watched: will the stadium gates be open for all matches?

The initiative has certainly been welcomed by many. It avoids playing matches in empty 45,000-seat stadiums. But it could lead some fans who paid for their tickets to complain, or to also hope for free access to future matches. A double-edged sword.