The dream of a 100% Maghreb semi-final has vanished this Saturday in Marrakech. While Moroccan supporters were hoping to face their "brothers" Algerians, it is ultimately the Super Eagles of Nigeria who will stand in the way of the Atlas Lions after dominating the Fennecs (2-0).
On the pitch, there was no contest. Morocco stifled Cameroon (2-0), reducing the Indomitable Lions to almost total offensive silence. But in the press conference, Walid Regragui had to take the field to defend the legitimacy of this success in the face of accusations of refereeing favoritism.
Morocco has done its part by eliminating Cameroon. Now, an entire people have their eyes fixed on Marrakech. This Saturday, Algeria will face Nigeria, and paradoxically, the supporters of the Atlas Lions will be the first supporters of the Fennecs . The objective is clear: to offer an explosive reunion between "sworn brothers" in the semi-finals.
It is a powerful, almost ironic image, at the heart of diplomatic tensions. This Friday, the Algerian national team traveled from Rabat to Marrakech aboard a Royal Air Maroc (RAM) plane. A flight operated by the Moroccan national airline, yet banned from Algerian airspace by Algiers since 2021.
New development in the case of the Algerian supporter arrested for indecent act. Arrested on Thursday in Casablanca, the young man was transferred this Friday to Rabat for the needs of the investigation.
Victory for the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) just hours before kickoff. After a vigorous protest, Morocco obtained from the CAF the last-minute replacement of the refereeing team appointed for the quarter-final against Cameroon. The issue: the initial presence of Algerian referees in the VAR, considered incompatible with sporting fairness.
The festive atmosphere of the 2025 AFCON is now under high surveillance in the Hexagon. In a telegram addressed to the prefects, the Minister of the Interior, Laurent Nunez, orders absolute firmness for the quarter-finals and semi-finals. On the program: bans on gatherings and explicit threats on the residence permits of foreign troublemakers .
In an interview with the media Annahar, Massad Boulos , senior advisor to the US president for Arab and African affairs, clarified the Trump administration’s strategy in the Maghreb. While the Sudanese emergency occupied a significant part of the discussions, the diplomat made significant statements on the Sahara issue and relations with Algiers.
The Moroccan security services have arrested an Algerian national in Casablanca. The individual is subject to legal proceedings after the dissemination of a video showing him urinating in the stands of the Moulay El Hassan stadium in Rabat.
Tension behind the scenes before the decisive quarter-final. The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has filed an official complaint with CAF to denounce the unusual delay in the appointment of the referees for the Morocco-Cameroon match . The list, finally unveiled, raises strong concerns among the Moroccan public due to the presence of Algerian officials.
Before playing his place in the quarter-finals, the coach of Algeria took the time to salute the quality of the organization. Vladimir Petković described the stadiums and infrastructure of Morocco as "world-class", emphasizing their positive impact on the spectacle offered during this AFCON.
All is not well between the Fennecs and the Algerian media present in Morocco . While they were enjoying a day off in Rabat for the New Year, the players of the Algerian national team were exasperated by the harassment of their journalists, who had turned into paparazzi for the occasion.