Every day the kick-off of the 32nd Africa Cup of Nations or AFCON gets that much closer. Consequently, the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of hosts Egypt is finalising the details, especially at the venues. On Monday, a day after presenting the Confederation Cup to Egyptian club Zamalek in a separate championship, African Football Association (CAF) President Ahmed Ahmed was joined by LOC Chairman and Egyptian Football Association President Hani Abu Rida on an inspection visit to famed Cairo International Stadium, site of Group A, Egypt's group. Cairo Stadium will also host both the opening and final games of the tournament scheduled from 21 June to 19 July. The visit included senior CAF and LOC officials. According to tournament director Mohamed Fadl, work continues on a 24/7 pace. “The stadiums, whether playing or training, are the true image of any football competition, which makes it the most important aspect for the success of a tournament and its real investment and legacy. This is why the venues are our major focus,” Fadl said. “We are almost done. Only a few details remain. The LOC assures the event's participants and visitors that they will be impressed by the facilities, infrastructure and services they will find in Egypt 2019. And Egyptian fans will also be proud of their country. “Concentrating on renovating stadiums doesn't mean we are not focused on other aspects. Indeed, we are deep into that as well to ensure that teams are staying in excellent hotels and receive the best-ever hospitality,” added Fadl. Meanwhile, fans continued booking their online tickets of the matches on the website www.tazkarti.com which was made available last week. Some have collected their FAN ID as well as their tickets. In addition to the website, a new app was also launched to allow Egyptians to book their tickets and claim their FAN ID card which will act as a passport to move from one stadium to the other. The app and website are the primary outlets to book tickets from, while also aiming to combat inflated ticket prices on the black market. After the competition comes to an end, Tazkarti will continue to be utilised as an app to book tickets to future football matches, as well as concerts and other events. Fans can book their tickets in six simple steps according to the online booking ticketing system: Accessing Tazkarti's website and choosing login to earn FAN ID. After entering a cell phone number, a code will then be sent to the phone to be inserted in the required space. After entering the code, the website will ask about certain personal details. Through the national ID number or passport, the user will then be required to insert a personal avatar in addition to a copy of the national ID/passport. The system will then go through registered details in order to ensure the maximum safety of participants and the field. Suez Stadium The user will wait for a confirmation email or message which will contain the number of the Fan ID. Fans would then be able to use their Fan ID to choose the games, categories of the tickets, and where they want to sit. The system also allows users to choose from several electronic payment methods. There are two ways to purchase tickets: credit card or the Fawri application. A person can purchase up to six tickets maximum. Tazkarti is an online ticket booking company which, it says, provides a safe and secure marketplace for ticket buyers to find and purchase event tickets on the market. It also aims to unite buyers with thousands of reputable ticket sellers. “We attempt to use new technology to guarantee your safety and easier use. The tickets are all authentic,” it says. Outlets for first-class tickets are in Orange branches in Heliopolis, Nasr City, the Fifth Settlement, Al-Rehab, Dokki, downtown, Zamalek, Mohandessin, Al-Manial, Abbasia, Shoubra, 6th of October City, Haram, Maadi, Mokattam, Alexandria, Ismailia and Suez. Ahmed and Abu Rida discussing latest preparations Outlets for second-class and third-class tickets are at Giza's Gezira Youth Centre, the Olympic Centre for training national teams in Maadi, Suez Sporting Club, Sheikh Zayed Youth Centre in Ismailia, 6th District Youth Centre in the 6th of October City, Horses Owners Club in Alexandria's Smouha, and Shams Club in Cairo. After applying for both the FAN ID and tickets, they can be printed from one of these outlets, each according to their category. For further inquiries, Tazkarti has set up hotline number 15355. Tazkarti's Khaled Aziz said the FAN ID is a must for Egyptian and foreign audiences attending the tournament. Tazkarti confirmed in a press statement on Sunday that tickets will not be enough to enter the stadiums; the FAN ID is equally important. The company explained that security personnel will not allow fans to enter the stadiums without the FAN ID even if the ticket bears the owner's name. Tazkarti also called on Egyptian fans to obtain the FAN ID with a ticket of the match so they can easily pass through administrative procedures. An Egyptian family celebrating their FAN ID and tickets “Both the FAN ID and ticket resemble a ‘contract' between the fan and the venue which should be respected,” explained Aziz, who said Tazkarti aims at combating inflated ticket prices on the black market. Another statement released on Monday confirmed that Tazkarti was the only legal platform from which fans can get IDs and tickets. “No one is allowed to sell or give away his/her ticket which was booked from the Tazkarti website, which is specialised in securing bookings for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tickets,” the statement said. It said that according to the website's regulations, no ticketing is permitted unless through the platform designed specifically for the tournament. The decision was taken to ensure that the rules established by the organising committee are applied, especially regarding ticket prices. Every ticket will be scanned to ensure that it matches the holder's Fan ID, otherwise the fan will not be allowed into the stadium. Any attempt to purchase AFCON tickets in the black market or through any individuals who claim that they can provide tickets will be exposed. In another statement, Tazkarti on Tuesday said it was grateful to Egyptian fans who booked tickets to watch the AFCON, and that certain games were sold out because of the immense interest. The group said that it was obliged to follow the system to sell tickets, which is clearly illustrated in the company's website, urging fans to acquire FAN IDs and follow the booking system to facilitate attendance. The company added that it was committed to selling tickets according to the capacity announced for each stadium, adding that Tazkarti does not apply priority booking in order to preserve transparency and equal opportunities while selling the tickets. Tazkarti expressed its deep regret over fans who were not able to book tickets for Egypt's games, wishing them success in booking other available seats. The statement concluded by wishing the national team success in the championship, and hoping that the fans understand that the current booking system is the best means to organise the games in a way that matches Egypt's reputation.
