Africa Cup of Nations: Organisers fail to sell tickets as dancers and singers attempt to please the few who did turn up

Jan 14, 2017

THE Africa Cup of Nations opening ceremony got underway on Saturday but to a huge number of empty seats.

Acrobats, singer Akon and fireworks lit the skies alight in Gabon but the colour in the stands wasn’t those of the crowd waving flags and dancing on the terraces but the seats that organisers failed to flog.

Empty stand shows the lack of tickets sold for the opening ceremony

French rapper Booba sings to the fans that showed up

The tournament which reportedly cost around £574million to host, was said to have sold 70 per cent of tickets but the harsh truth is that there was much less.

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The excitement that built when Gabon were named as hosts to the tournament has dwindled after the controversial election’s last year.

But for the fans who did turn up at the Stade de I’Amitie were treated to a showing before the tournament curtain raiser between Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang’s Gabon and Guinea Bissau.

Acrobats performed on wires at the stadium

Mascot for the tournament, Samba, entertained the crowd

Dancers performed at the Stade de L’Amitie Sino-Gabonaise

The crowd who did turn up tried to make a noise in the stadium

Gabon president Ali Bongo Ondimba turned up for the event

And the tournament was thrown into early disarray when Congo DR’s players went on strike just hours before the start the first clash.

The Congolese players boycotted Friday’s training session because of a dispute over unpaid bonuses dating back to their third place finish two years ago.

If their match goes ahead, Congo will play their first match on Monday against Morocco.