As anxieties build-up ahead of the Cote D’Ivoire 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, final match, some Nigerian supporters have complained about unfair play by the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) officials who coordinate sales of tickets to watch the match.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles will be playing the AFCON 2023 final match against the host nation, Ivory Coast, tonight at the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpé, Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s capital city at 21:00 (GMT + 1).
Although CAF has not released any official statement on the allotment of tickets to the two teams, there are allegations that CAF officials have been unfair in the sales of the tickets, denying Nigerian supporters, especially, Nigerians living in Ivory Coast, access to the tickets while they sell for the Ivorians.
It would be recalled that CAF had closed the online platform where tickets were sold, though first of its kind in the history Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON.
For the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023, CAF introduced online ticket sales for football fans making access to tickets easier.
CAF had resolved to sell its tickets using both digital and physical means, and it promised that the over-the-counter ticket sales would be in 12 cities and towns across Cote d’Ivoire.
Ticket sales outlets can be found in Yamoussoukro, Bouaké, Korhogo, San Pedro, Grand Bassam, Cocody, Plateau, Bingerville, Songon, Anyama, Yopougon, and Adjamé.
Our correspondent’s checked on the digital platform where CAF sells AFCON 2023 matches tickets, and discovered that the platform had been shut down against the third-place and final matches of the AFCON 2023 competition.
Following the closure of the online platform where supporters could access the final match ticket, supporters resorted to over-the-counter sales, where CAF ticket partners were caught hoarding the tickets from Nigeria’s Super Eagles supporters while selling for the Ivorians.
In a related development, Nigeria’s Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa, who has not featured in any match for the Super Eagles in this tournament has responded to some of his critics.R
Responding to criticism that he is going to take the glory of the players who played for the Super Eagles if Nigeria wins the trophy, tonight, he said winning the trophy for him is just a payback for him.
Ahmed Musa said, “I have played for a lot of my teammates to win, and now if my teammates play for me to win, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it.
There is no sign Ahmed Musa will be introduced in today’s match even though he was listed among Nigeria’s Super Eagles squad for the competition.
However, the Super Eagles’ coach, José Peseiro, had said Ahmed Musa has been helpful to him in making technical decisions as the Super Eagles soared through the competition.
