Uganda’s impressive 2-0 victory over Niger at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) was marred by a major ticket scam, as over 3,000 Ugandan fans were turned away from the stadium with fake tickets.
This incident highlights a crucial warning for all football fans: be cautious when purchasing tickets for major events.
According to the Uganda Local Organizing Committee (LOC) and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the fraudulent tickets were discovered at the Eastern gate of the stadium on Monday, August 11.
The LOC’s Communications Committee, led by Denis Mugimba, has since clarified that all official CHAN tickets are now sold exclusively online.
The Shift to Digital Ticketing
The LOC had initially announced that some tickets would be available for physical purchase. Around 4,000 physical tickets were sold at the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) headquarters for the opening matches on August 4. However, following the recent scam, this policy has changed.
CAF and the LOC are now discouraging all fans from buying tickets from any physical vendor or unofficial source.
Mugimba stated, “We are not responsible for tickets that are not purchased online.” This shift aims to combat ticket fraud and ensure that only legitimate, verifiable tickets are used to enter stadiums.
