CHAN 2023: Morocco’s Participation Uncertain

Defending champions, Morocco, participation in the 2023 African Nations Championship (CHAN) is still uncertain due to the long-standing diplomatic feud between Morocco and host nation Algeria.

The 7th edition of the biennial tournament will take place in Algeria next year, from January 13 to February 4.

On Tuesday, the Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) threatened to boycott the competition if the national team did not take a direct flight on the country’s national airline, Royal Air Maroc, from Rabat, the capital, to Constantine, the location of their matches.

Rachid Oukali, the chairman of the organizing committee for the competition, responded to the Moroccan’s demand by saying: “We are required to provide transportation for the participating teams within the national territory only.”

In his words, “most of the African countries that will come to Algeria will do stopovers,” so it is not the organizing committee’s responsibility to guarantee that a direct flight route is available for the participating teams.

Local media reports that FRMF president FouziLekjaa stated at a press conference on Thursday that the federation is still waiting for an official response from the CAF regarding its request that the Moroccan team is permitted to fly directly from Rabat to Algeria to participate in the tournament.

“We are waiting for CAF to respond to our demand. We have asked for permission to allow Royal Air Maroc to transport the national team directly to the host country. We have not asked Algeria to provide us with a private flight or anything of that sort,” local media quotes Lekjaa.