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As teams compete for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025), currently taking place in Morocco, both seasoned football fans and newcomers are flocking to stadiums. Many are eager to secure a ticket, despite the difficulties posed by limited availability and frequently closed ticket booths. Faced with this situation, some supporters turn to online sellers offering tickets on the resale market, often at prices higher than the official rates and with a high risk of scams. In response, some internet users have begun exposing accounts suspected of fraud in an effort to warn others.
Others have chosen to share their experiences publicly, sometimes with a humorous twist, such as a French-Algerian comedian who fell victim to a scammer operating abroad, as recounted by Djamil Le Shlag. «He attend the Algeria–Congo in Morocco. He booked his flight and Airbnb, but without a match ticket (…) he thought he could get one online at the last minute, but they were between 200 and 300 euros (…) While looking for another option, he found a ticket for 70 euros», he recounts on Radio Nova.
The scammer disappears after payment
Reassured by the exchange, the buyer even planned to purchase two additional tickets after receiving the first one. However, the ticket never arrived. The contact ultimately scammed him out of 70 euros, later admitting it was a fraud. «Don’t curse us, we do this to feed our families. Times are tough in Abidjan. But thanks to you, better days await us», reads the remainder of the message, shared on air.
Did I get scammed? pic.twitter.com/17ewUrlMLK
— ?? (@juste1meufchill) January 7, 2026
In Morocco, other users have also fallen victim to similar scams, particularly while searching for tickets to the Morocco–Tanzania round-of-16 match. Drawing on her own misadventures and those of other supporters, journalist Hanane Harrath shared her experience on her Facebook page, stressing the importance of never making a payment without receiving the tickets and carefully verifying resale accounts.
«They enter the page with a pseudonym and claim to have tickets. You respond, they message you privately, send you photos of tickets, then on WhatsApp you send your fan ID, they send their bank details, you pay, and then they disappear», she writes. «They discard the SIM card they used to contact you (…), they delete the profile before returning with another one. It’s a highly effective scam, and many people, like you and myself, fall for it», the journalist continues, reminding readers that «forewarned is forearmed».
Purchasing through official channels remains the safest option
Contacted by Yabiladi, Hanane Harrath said the fraudulent page she dealt with had nearly 70,000 followers on Facebook. «I checked it on Friday night for the next day’s match. I saw many ticket sale announcements. With less prohibitive prices, you’re naturally less suspicious, especially when the profiles you interact with are confusing and the pages have thousands of followers», she explained.
In response to the growing number of ticket scams accompanying continental and international sporting events, particularly during previous AFCON editions, the organizers of this 35th tournament in Morocco opted for full digitalization and personalized ticket purchases. Each supporter must hold a valid Fan ID and is limited to buying four tickets per match, with stricter limits for high-demand games.
Set in advance by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), ticket prices remain unchanged regardless of the match or timing. Depending on the stage of the competition, prices range from 100 to 900 dirhams across three categories. With an overall cap of 30 tickets per person for the entire tournament, the system aims to curb fraud while ensuring fair access to seats.
Despite the rise in online scams, these measures have helped dismantle several fraud networks and led to multiple arrests across Morocco. Since the start of AFCON 2025 in late December, 118 individuals have been arrested for illegal resale and speculation, often following investigations triggered by social media resale ads.
Digital monitoring combined with on-the-ground surveillance continues to help identify suspects and combat the black market. Nevertheless, authorities and observers alike stress that vigilance remains essential when dealing with online ticket resale offers.
