The Disaster in Numbers: From €14 to €232!
The tragedy is crystallized in the figures. An opening match ticket, which was supposed to be sold at a symbolic price not exceeding 150 Moroccan dirhams (about €14) to spread the joy to the masses, found its way to the black market for 2500 dirhams (about €232). This increase of more than 16 times the original price is not mere inflation; it is a systematic hijacking of the sporting dream by organized networks. The price paid by an ordinary fan to watch a match is the equivalent of a monthly bill for an average Moroccan family. Sport, which is supposed to be a space for entertainment and social cohesion, has become a stark economic privilege.
Institutional Failure: A Named Electronic Ticket or an Illusion?
The most painful paradox lies in the fact that the adopted ticketing system was, in theory, advanced and had safeguards. The ticket was electronic and named, linked to the buyer's identity. Simply put, every fan was supposed to carry their ticket bearing their name and pass through an electronic recognition gate. However, what happened in practice indicates a massive gap in implementation and control.
The Central Question: How did tens of thousands of "named" tickets leak onto the black market?
Potential Internal Leak: Was there collusion or negligence from within the distributing electronic platform or the entities responsible for sales? How did scalpers obtain large blocks of tickets registered under false or non-existent names?
Lack of Control at Entry: It appears that the process of verifying the match between the ticket holder's identity and the name printed on it was weak, if not entirely absent, at the stadium gates. This completely voids the entire security system of its purpose.
Organized Social Networks: As the investigations revealed, specialized pages on social media operated as an open marketplace for these stolen tickets. There was a real "business," with intermediaries, pricing, and marketing techniques.
The Consequences: A Triple Loss
Loss for the Fans: The real fan, eager to support their team and the spirit of the tournament, was stripped of their right. Stadiums emptied of their true supporters to be filled (or not) only by those able to pay.
Loss of Sporting Spirit: The match atmosphere loses its vitality when the passionate, interactive fan is replaced by a passive spectator who paid a hefty sum to attend an "event," not a "match."
Loss of Reputation: The image of Morocco as an organized country capable of hosting the continent's biggest events is severely damaged. The empty stands during the opening match are a discouraging global message about organizational failure and the waste of a historic opportunity.
A Call to the World and to Officials: This is Football, Not "Business"!
What happened in Morocco is a loud alarm bell for every country hosting a major sporting event. It is a warning that the greed of speculation can kill the spirit of sport, turning it from a field of inspiration and solidarity into a market for illicit trafficking. The goal of hosting the Cup of Nations is to unite peoples under the banner of sport, not to provide a golden opportunity for speculators.
Urgent Demands:
Transparent Accountability: The ongoing investigations must precisely identify the points of failure and hold accountable everyone who caused this breach, whether through collusion or negligence.
Radical Change in the Model: Adopt more secure ticketing systems, linked to non-fraudulent identities (like biometric cards), activate strict verification mechanisms at entrances, and impose a maximum limit on the number of tickets one person can purchase.
Justice for the Fans: Compensate the fans who were defrauded and ensure this farce is not repeated in upcoming matches, perhaps by reselling a portion of the seized tickets at their original prices.
Community Awareness: Everyone must understand that buying a ticket on the black market is a crime that contributes to the destruction of sport and encourages criminal networks.
The phenomenon of the black market for tickets at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is not a purely Moroccan problem. It is a microcosm of a global crisis where mass emotions are hijacked for quick financial gain. What happened in Casablanca is a loud cry: when sports institutions and organizers neglect their role in protecting sport from dirty "business," the first loser is the simple fan, and the biggest loser is the beautiful game's very spirit. It is time to put an end to this deviation and restore football to its true owners: the fans.