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

DDM News

Empty stadiums have marred the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco, sparking widespread criticism of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for failing to effectively promote the tournament.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the competition, which began on July 5 and will conclude on July 26, has witnessed poor spectatorship throughout the group stages and into the semi-finals.

Despite being hosted across six venues, an unprecedented move in the tournament’s history, images from matchdays show glaringly empty seats and minimal crowd engagement.

Experts and analysts have attributed the disappointing turnout to poor publicity, lack of strategic planning, and insufficient investment in women’s football development.

Media Consultant and Football Development Expert, Ibrahim Lawal, blamed CAF for the decline in spectatorship, stressing that inadequate funding and lack of grassroots engagement have hindered the growth of women’s football across the continent.

Lawal noted that while FIFA has improved global excitement for the women’s game, Africa’s governing football body has failed to mirror these efforts locally.

He suggested the introduction of comprehensive marketing strategies, including player spotlight content, social media campaigns, and nation-wide engagement, to raise public interest.

He also advocated for the establishment of female-only academies and coaching programs, as well as holding advocacy visits to African countries to challenge cultural and political resistance to women’s football.

Journalist Tunde Eludini of Premium Times pointed to logistical setbacks, such as repeated postponements, inconvenient scheduling, and unaffordable ticket pricing, as key reasons fans are staying away.

Eludini recommended early community engagement, local language promotions, and creating a festival-like atmosphere around match days to drive fan attendance.

Hakeem Adegbenro of Echonews added that the WAFCON still lacks the mass followership of the men’s tournament and should avoid hosting matches in oversized stadiums.

He said playing in smaller, more compact venues would offer better television optics and reduce the visual impact of sparse attendance.

Analysts agree that unless CAF adopts a long-term promotional and structural development plan, African women’s football risks remaining in the shadows, despite the continent’s growing talent pool.

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