Football fans breached security at Nyayo Stadium just moments before the eagerly awaited 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier between Harambee Stars and Gabon.
Videos circulating on social media show large crowds pushing through entry points, with some fans even climbing over barriers to access the seating areas.
The excitement surrounding the match had been building all day, and tickets for the game sold out on March 22.
Many supporters arrived hours before the scheduled kickoff, only to be held up by overcrowding and long queues at the gates, preventing them from entering.
It is still unclear whether any injuries or arrests occurred as a result of the chaos.
The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident.
The match, which marks Harambee Stars‘ first competitive home game since November 2021, is set to kick off at 4 p.m.
FKF CEO Harold Ndege, while announcing the sell-out of tickets, urged fans who had not purchased tickets to watch the match on television.
He also assured that adequate security measures were in place, in collaboration with law enforcement, to ensure that only ticket-holders could access the stadium.
“We urge fans who haven’t bought tickets to watch the match on television. KBC will broadcast the match for free,” Ndege said.
“We will also have a security buffer extending up to 300-500 meters from the stadium to ensure that only ticketed fans gain access to the venue.”
A total of 21,900 tickets were made available for sale, including 100 VVIP tickets priced at sh 10,000.
There were 1,800 VIP tickets available at sh 1,000, while the remaining 21,000 tickets for the terraces were priced at sh 300 each.
To keep fans entertained before the 4 p.m. kickoff, FKF organized a lineup of music and entertainment, with the main act being Savara from the popular group Sauti Sol.
Ndege also mentioned that additional performances, along with a DJ, would be on hand to keep the energy high, and hinted at a surprise halftime entertainment act for fans.
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