The Kenya and Zambia African Nations Championship (CHAN) game will kickoff at 3pm on Sunday, August 17, the Football Kenya Federation has clarified.
The clarification was made on Tuesday, August 12, by a member of the FKF communication team, who sought to clear the air amid conflicting reports that the game would take place at 8pm on the same day.
"Zambia vs Kenya is on Sunday, 17th August, at 3pm East African Time (EAT) at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani," the clarification sent to Kenyans.co.ke reads.
In the build-up to the game, there was confusion about the kick-off time, as the match schedule on the CAF official website indicated that the game was slated for 8pm.
However, being Kenya's last group game, the highly anticipated match will take place at 3pm, concurrently with the game involving the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) against Morocco at Nyayo Stadium.
Typically, the final matches of group games during tournaments tend to take place at the same time to eliminate chances of match-fixing, since the teams involved will have little to no knowledge of the permutations of the results they register in their respective match.
The Harambee Stars, who are top of a grueling Group A, which comprises Angola, the DRC, Zambia and two-time CHAN champions Morocco, will have the chance to secure a spot in the quarter-finals as group winners during their final group game.
Kenya has already played three matches at the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani, with all the matches against the DRC, Angola and Morocco kicking off at 3pm.
While all of the Harambee Stars' opening three games have seen the fans turn out in large numbers, exceeding the 40,000 mark, the Zambia game will be different as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) slashed the number of spectators allowed in the grounds to 27,000 - 60 per cent of the stadium’s capacity.
“Entry strictly limited to electronic ticket holders; thermal tickets prohibited. LOC and government to launch a public media campaign reinforcing safety protocols and entry requirements," a statement from CAF read.
To cope with fan excitement, the FKF announced plans to establish fan zones in several areas in the city to accommodate fans who wanted the stadium experience for the Kenya-Zambia game but did not manage to secure tickets.
Fans who will attend the game at Kasarani have also been urged to arrive at least five hours early to ensure order. With this in mind, fans should be at the stadium as early as 10am for the 3pm kick off.
