RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Empty seats in sold-out stadiums. Out-of-reach prices on the black market.
Moroccan soccer fans, in particular, are being frustrated at the Africa Cup of Nations because many can’t get tickets for their own team's games.
Morocco and neighboring Algeria were the only teams to have their group-stage tickets sell out, but again on Friday there were empty seats for the host nation’s match against Mali in the near 70,000-capacity Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
“I tried to log in to the (ticketing) site early, but unfortunately many people logged in at the same time and I couldn’t get a place. It was completely full,” said Morocco supporter Amin Mazraoui, who was waiting outside the stadium before kickoff.
Another fan named Hicham had the same experience, trying the official ticket portal but finding every game sold out almost as soon as he started looking. He was going to watch the match at home.
The official attendance for Friday's game was given as 63,844 – more than had attended the opening game and ceremony in the same stadium.
Touts are being blamed for snapping up tickets to the matches they feel are likely to be most popular, sensing an opportunity to sell them on for as much as 10 times what they paid. Reports suggested 50-euro ($59) tickets were being offered for 500 ($590).
“There are people connecting with 10 computers, maybe 15 computers connecting at the same time and buying a lot of places, so it’s because of them that we didn’t manage to get any seat,” Mazraoui told The Associated Press.
But all supporters (and journalists) have to provide identification through a local app called Yalla to get access to stadiums, and it seems the additional measures are making it more difficult for touts to transfer ticket-ownership.
One fan who gave his name only as Khalid was lucky and said he paid 100 Moroccan dirhams ($11) for his ticket to the game. Compared to nearby Europe, starting prices are far cheaper, while there’s no comparison to the asking prices for 2026 World Cup games.
On Wednesday, only 16,115 attended Algeria’s game against Sudan in the 22,000-capacity Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat, which had been sold-out long before.
Some fans waited outside after hearing reports they'd be let in for free, then rushed the gates in an effort to get in once the game had started. Security at other stadiums has allowed free entrance after kickoff in order to increase attendance.
“They won't open the gates for Morocco,” Mazraoui said.
The attendance at Congo’s match against Benin in the 18,000-capacity Stade El Barid in Rabat was corrected from 6,000 to 13,000.
Other games have seen little difference, with heavy rain also discouraging local fans from attending.
The 68,000-capacity Grand Stade de Tanger in Tangier felt mostly empty on Tuesday for Senegal’s match against Botswana despite 18,500 being in attendance.
The Confederation of African Football, the organizing authority, did not respond to a request for comment.
AP at the Africa Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-cup-of-nations
Fans watch from the stands during the Africa Cup of Nations group B soccer match between Egypt and South Africa in Agadir, Morocco, Friday, Dec. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Morocco's starting team phone for photographers ahead of the African Cup of Nations Group A soccer match between Morocco and Mali in Rabat, Friday, Morocco 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Chicago (11-4) at San Francisco (11-4)
Sunday, 8:15 p.m. EST, NBC.
BetMGM NFL Odds: 49ers by 3.
Against the spread: Bears 9-5-1; 49ers 10-5.
Series record: 49ers lead 36-33-1.
Last meeting: 49ers beat Bears 38-13 Dec. 8, 2025, in Santa Clara, Calif.
Last week: Bears beat the Packers 22-16 in OT; 49ers beat the Colts 48-27.
Bears offense: overall (5), rush (2), pass (14), scoring (10).
Bears defense: overall (24), rush (27), pass (18), scoring (19).
49ers offense: overall (9), rush (24), pass (5), scoring (9).
49ers defense: overall (18), rush (8), pass (23), scoring (11).
Turnover differential: Bears plus-21; 49ers minus-4.
DB Nahshon Wright forced a fumble last week and has 5 INTs, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles on the season. The only other player to hit those marks in the past 17 seasons was Minkah Fitzpatrick in 2019.
QB Brock Purdy became the first Niners QB to throw at least five TDs in a game last week since Steve Young did it in Super Bowl 29 a little more than 30 years ago. Purdy has thrown eight TD passes and only one INT the past two weeks and has multiple TD passes in five of his seven starts this season. Purdy leads the NFL with a 130 passer rating on third down this season.
Bears running game against 49ers defense. Chicago ranks second in the NFL in rushing and has had at least 138 yards in seven of the past eight games. The Niners rank third best in the NFL in allowing 87.4 yards per game since Week 11 and held Jonathan Taylor to 46 yards last week.
Bears: WR Luther Burden III (ankle) returned to practice after missing last week's game and will play this week. ... WR Rome Odunze (foot) remains sidelined. ... LB T.J. Edwards (glute), CB Nahshon Wright (hamstring) and CB Chauncey Gardner-Johnson are all questionable.
49ers: TE George Kittle (ankle) left last week's game with an ankle injury and is questionable this week. ... WR Ricky Pearsall (knee) also is listed as questionable after missing last week's game. ... CB Renardo Green (neck) will miss his second straight game.
The teams have alternated wins and losses in the past nine meetings. ... The Bears are 2-1 all time at Levi's Stadium. ... The 49ers are 3-2 against the Bears under coach Kyle Shanahan. ... This marks the first time these teams are playing in a season when both made the playoffs since 2001 when Chicago beat San Francisco 37-31 in Week 7.
The Bears clinched a playoff spot last week and can clinch their first division title since 2018 with either a win or a loss by Green Bay. ... Chicago's plus-21 turnover margin is the second best for any team through 15 games in the past 13 seasons, behind only the plus-23 for the 2019 Patriots. ... The previous time the Bears finished a season plus-21 or better came in 1985 when they were plus-23 on the way to winning the franchise's only Super Bowl title. ... Chicago is the first team in NFL history to win six games after trailing in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter. ... Bears TE Colston Loveland has at least three catches in 10 straight games for the fifth-longest streak by a rookie TE since the merger. ... Chicago QB Caleb Williams has nine TD passes and a 100.1 passer rating on third down. ... Pro Bowl DB Kevin Byard III leads the NFL with six INTs, the most by any Bears defender since 2018. ... The Bears haven't allowed an opening-drive score in seven straight games and have given an NFL-low 10 points on opening drives this season. San Francisco has five TDs and one FG on seven opening drives with Purdy at QB. ... The 49ers clinched their fourth playoff spot in the past five seasons last week and will earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC with wins in their final two games. ... San Francisco is 4-0 in prime-time games this season. ... The 48 points for the Niners last week were their most in a game since they also scored 48 against New Orleans on Dec. 8, 2019. ... San Francisco has gone back-to-back games without punting for the first time in franchise history. ... Christian McCaffrey's 92 catches this season are tied with Roger Craig in 1985 for the most by any running back in 49ers history. ... McCaffrey is second in the NFL with 1,888 yards from scrimmage and ranks third with 16 TDs. ... WR Jauan Jennings has at least one TD catch in four straight games, tied for the longest streak for a Niners player since Vernon Davis did it five games in a row in 2013. ... Jennings' seven TD catches since Week 9 are one off the NFL lead held by Davante Adams. ... Rookies Alfred Collins and C.J. West had their first career sacks last week, marking the first time San Francisco got sacks from two rookies in the same game since 2016. ... The 49ers rank second in the NFL converting 50% of third down opportunities.
Bears WR D.J. Moore is coming off a season-high 97 yards receiving last week, including the game-winning TD in overtime. He has three touchdown catches the past two games and five in the past five games and could be a good option with Chicago short-handed at receiver.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) runs against Indianapolis Colts outside linebacker Zaire Franklin (44) during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams gets away from Green Bay Packers' Lukas van Ness during the second half of an NFL football game Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Huh)
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) passes against the Indianapolis Colts during the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
