The Football Kenya Federation reaped big through ticket sales after selling out all tickets for the Harambee Stars home match against Gabon slated for Sunday, March 23.
In what is the first World Cup qualifier to be played on Kenyan soil, excitement was high, with Kenyan fans grabbing the opportunity to watch their national team under the stewardship of new coach Benni McCarthy.
Unlike on past occasions when fans practically had to be coerced to attend the national team's game, things were different when the tickets were made available, as they sold out in record time.
Kenyans.co.ke has since broken down the revenue generated from the ticket sales, and it paints a picture of optimism for Kenyan football. The tickets were divided into three categories: regular or terraces were going for KSh300, while VIP tickets were going for Ksh1,000.
In a rare showing, the FKF also introduced Very Very Important Persons (VVIP) tickets, which were going for KSh10,000 each. Only 100 such tickets were made available.
With 21,000 regular tickets, 1,800 VIP tickets and 100 VVIP tickets on sale, the Federation ended up selling a total of 22,900 tickets, with a quick calculation showing that ticket sales alone amassed a whopping KSh9.1 million.
This figure could also be higher if one accounts for parking slots inside the Nyayo Stadium, which will go for KSh 300 each.
Moreover, the away spots for the Gabon fans could also mean more ticket sales since the home team is typically expected to allocate a small portion of the stadium to the visiting fans. This in turn ensures the safety of the visitors while also enhancing organization within the stadium.
Although Nyayo Stadium has an official capacity of 30,000, only 22,900 tickets were made available for sale in line with safety regulations set by FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The guidelines require stadium management to evaluate the venue’s maximum safe capacity while considering factors such as entry flow, crowd-holding areas, exit routes, and emergency evacuation procedures.
Key safety metrics are considered while determining the permitted number of spectators including the number of functional seats, the rate at which fans can enter the stadium per hour, and the time required to evacuate a full crowd in an emergency. The lowest figure obtained from these assessments is then established as the stadium’s safe capacity for the event.
Dig Deeper: Ahead of the game, Kenyans are filled with a new wave of optimism, especially because the Harambee Stars landed a new tactician in the form of Benni McCarthy.
The former Manchester United striker coach earned plaudits after his first game ended in a 3-3 draw against Gambia, with the team showing a different mentality by twice coming from behind to secure a draw.
Against Gabon, the Harambee Stars simply must win to boost their points and enhance their goal difference in a qualifier group comprising giants like Ivory Coast. The Harambee Stars are currently fourth on the standings with six points from their five qualifier matches.
