Moroccan football fans are voicing their outrage at the “messy” and “senseless” fashion local Casablanca authorities have managed preparations for Raja and Al-Ahly game, scheduled for this Friday, April 22.
Local authorities had initially announced tickets for the highly anticipated game will be available on Napes locations, a shift from the customary Guichet.ma booking website.
Casa Events, the local development company announced that tickets for this match will be sold exclusively in NAPS agencies.
This decision “aims to counter the propagation of fake digital tickets,” said Casa Events, adding that the decision was taken in consultation with the Board of Directors of the Raja Club.
But according to fans’ accounts on social media, long lines and a lack of organization have plagued the sale, with lines stalling for hours and limited access to Napes locations.
Faced with fans’ uproar against the “amateur” way the sporting event is being managed, Raja club has denied having been consulted by Casa Event, worsening supporters’ anger.
“These tickets are impossible to get,” tweets one supporter, adding that “previous selling methods are fine and they work, the decision to shift has no logical basis.”
Following the fans’ anger, the Wilaya of the Casablanca-Settat region convened a meeting, which resulted in the authorities’ decision to revert back to the “customary ticket selling methods,” namely the Guichet.ma platform.
In a statement, the Wilaya emphasized that “after a meeting devoted to the examination of various points relating to the organizational aspects of the game, including the sale of tickets and access to the stadium, It was decided to take immediate steps to facilitate the operation of purchasing tickets and expand the offer by using online sales while maintaining the current points of sale.”
Regarding access to the stadium of spectators whose number has been limited to 42,000, the wilaya indicates the implementation of several measures including strengthening the control of tickets and the supervision of the operation of access to the stadium to preserve the safety of the public.
Local authorities call on fans to strictly respect the measures put in place and express their support for their clubs in a civilized manner.
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