Angolan football legend Akwá has publicly criticized the national football federation over its handling of ticket distribution for a recent friendly against Argentina, sparking wider fan frustration.
Akwá, a former captain and the top scorer for the Angolan national team, expressed dismay that former international players were absent from the high-profile match held in Luanda. He stated that their absence was due to a lack of tickets.
He directly blamed the Angolan Football Federation (FAF) for the situation. Akwá specifically named Carlos Alonso “Kali,” the FAF vice-president for national teams, in his criticism.
Akwá noted that Kali is a member of an association for former international players. He recounted receiving a phone message from Kali, who claimed the federation was “exploring the possibility” of providing tickets to the former internationals.
This communication came despite the game having been planned for over three months. Akwá likened the late outreach to delivering wedding invitations the day before the event.
“This is a sign that we were not in the Angolan Football Federation’s plans to be invited,” Akwá stated.
The match, played at the 11 de Novembro stadium in Luanda, saw the FAF release 48,000 tickets for a venue with a 50,000-person capacity.
Tickets for the friendly sold out within three days, two days prior to the game.
Many Angolan fans voiced frustration, accusing the FAF of employing “mafia” tactics in the ticket sales process. They also questioned the expenses associated with hosting the match, which commemorated Angola’s independence.
Argentina won the match 2-0 on Friday. Lautaro Martínez scored in the 43rd minute, followed by a goal from Lionel Messi in the 81st minute.