Empty seats at WAFCON 2024: Experts blame poor promotion, call for reforms

The ongoing 2024 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, WAFCON, in Morocco is currently in its semi-final stage.

There are four teams, Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana and hosts Morocco, already in the last-4.

The semi-final fixtures will take place on Tuesday evening, with Nigeria taking on South Africa at the Stade Larbi Zaouli, while Ghana will face Morocco at the Olympic Stadium Rabat.

However, DAILY POST had observed low spectators’ turnout in stadiums during matches since the competition started on July 5.

DAILY POST reports that several seats in stadiums were empty throughout the group stages and also the quarter-final stage.

Recall that the 2024 WAFCON, which started on July 5 and will end on July 26, is being played across six stadiums in Morocco.

DAILY POST reports that it is the first time that the WAFCON will be held at more than three venues and despite this, the CAF competition has so far witnessed low turnout of fans in stadiums.

However, DAILY POST takes a look at some of the main reasons for low crowd turnout of spectators in matches at the 2024 WAFCON and also what CAF needs to put in place to ensure a better turn-out of spectators in future WAFCON competitions.

Speaking on the subject matter with DAILY POST on Monday, Media Consultant and Football Development Expert, Ibrahim Lawal, insisted that CAF has not made tremendous efforts in providing adequate funding for the development and sustaining promotion of female football in Africa.

Lawal also pointed out the lack of worldwide, continental and host nation promotions by the organizers.

He, however, advised CAF to hold advocacy visits and meetings with footballing bodies in African nations to checkmate political, religious, cultural and socio-economic problems that stalled the development of female football in Africa.

Lawal told DAILY POST: “The development of women football in Africa has been very poor and slow since the inception of the Women’s African Nations Cup held in the year 1991, in Cameroon, where the Super Falcons of Nigeria won the maiden edition and have gone ahead to win it a record 9 times.

“The slow development of women football had been similar all over the world until when Europe, USA, South America and parts of Asia stepped up development and promotions over time, thereby, producing intriguing and fantastic players and dominating at the world stage.

“FIFA may have tried over the years to bring excitement into female world football tournaments. However, the CAF Africa’s governing body has not made tremendous efforts in firstly providing adequate funding for the development and sustaining promotion of female football in Africa.

“This year’s WAFCON like past tournaments has received low attendance with empty seats around the stadiums, a result of poor preparation, the key factors in the poor turn out of spectators is the lack of worldwide, continental and host nation promotions by the organizers.

“There is not enough buzz around prior to the tournament, not much publicity through all broadcast channels, especially social media which is a sure bet, leveraging on using spotlights on players profile, mini documentaries on hosting nations and so on.

“Apart from promotions, CAF needs to encourage African nations to come up with enough scouting tournaments to discover young talents and nurture them, similarly, invest in female coaches development and establish female only academies where young girls can receive basic, intermediary and advanced trainings in their formative years, before becoming professionals.

“CAF also needs to hold Advocacy visits and meetings with footballing bodies in African nations to checkmate political, religious, cultural and socio-economic problems that stalled the development of female football in Africa.

“There should be a strong urge to encourage national and state governments, organizations, stakeholders and philanthropists to build more stadiums and provide new state of the arts football development facilities to enhance performance,” he said.

Also speaking with DAILY POST on the subject matter, Premium Times’ Tunde Eludini also highlighted some reasons for low spectators attendance at WAFCON and also offered future solutions for the CAF competition.

Eludini told DAILY POST: “I think the series of postponements has not helped, and the fact that the WAFCON has to be squeezed into a tight calendar.

“In the same way, footballers are tired; fans can be too. Secondly, if tickets are too expensive, or matches are held during working hours or in cities where there’s little interest in women’s football, people won’t come without strong publicity, especially in local languages, it’s hard to pull crowds.”

“CAF needs to start treating WAFCON like a premium product, not just a tournament. They need to build excitement months in advance, engage schools, markets, and local football fans to create real buzz.

“Offer group deals, student discounts, even free entry for kids, just get people inside the stadiums. Match-day should be an experience, not just a game. Give fans music, giveaways, food, make it a fun outing,” he said.

Similarly, Echonews’ Hakeem Adegbenro told DAILY POST that the WAFCON competition is still coming up in the continent compared to the men’s AFCON competition.

Adegbenro said: “Yes, I might not be in Morocco at the moment but when you consider women football in Africa generally you understand that is a competition that is still coming up.

According to him, CAF should ensure that female competitions are played in less capacity stadium for better TV coverage, not in a 60,000 capacity stadium that will look like an empty stadium.

“Several African countries doesn’t have that kind of cult followership like their male counterparts.

“Female football in Africa is not having that followership as it is right now and that is why probably CAF is doing all within his power to increase the winnings of female footballers in the continents.

“I also believe that CAF can begin to give followership more incentives to attract more spectators.

“They can also ensure that female competitions are played in less capacity stadium for better TV coverage. Playing a female match in a 60,000 capacity stadium will look like an empty stadium,” he stated.

Empty seats at WAFCON 2024: Experts blame poor promotion, call for reforms