Nigerian fans of the Super Eagles currently face major difficulties in securing tickets for the AFCON semi-final against host nation Morocco, with many reporting that tickets sold out online within hours and later surfaced on the black market at inflated prices.

As the Atlas Lions reached the semi-final stage, tickets for the Morocco–Nigeria clash were reportedly being resold for as much as 3,500 local Moroccan dirhams, leaving many Nigerian supporters frustrated and unable to attend the match.

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Several fans claimed that most of the available tickets went to Moroccan supporters, arguing that Nigeria was placed at a disadvantage due to Morocco’s status as the host nation.

“As of today, tickets for the semi-final between Egypt and Senegal are still available, yet tickets for Nigeria versus Morocco are sold out,” one Nigerian fan wrote on X. “It seems that around 99.9% of these tickets were bought by Moroccan fans, putting the opposing team at a disadvantage.”

The same fan criticised CAF’s ticketing process, noting that knockout-stage tickets were released before teams had officially qualified.

“There is no major competition in the world where tickets for knockout stages are sold before the final draw, when team qualifications are still unknown,” he said. “Normally, these tickets are made available only after teams progress. This arrangement does not favour many participating countries.”

Another Nigerian supporter, identified as Olaghaney, said he was offered a semi-final ticket for 3,500 MAD and hoped to find a cheaper alternative at the stadium on Wednesday.

While some fans blamed Morocco, others stressed that the problem is not new. One Nigerian supporter noted that he encountered similar ticketing challenges during the previous AFCON tournament in Côte d’Ivoire.

Reports indicate that tickets for all of Morocco’s matches, including potential knockout fixtures, sold out on CAF’s official platform within hours of release. Even many Moroccan supporters have struggled to obtain semi-final tickets, with some turning to Facebook and the black market, where prices have risen sharply and cases of fraud have been reported.

Moroccan newspaper Assabah reported that organizers distributed a large number of tickets to selected fan clubs and ultras to ensure a vibrant atmosphere in the stadium.

That approach was evident during Morocco’s quarter-final win over Cameroon, when 64,178 fans packed the Rabat stadium, creating a strong home atmosphere for the Atlas Lions during the continental tournament.