Arab Cup: visa issues and bus delay for the Moroccan team
The Moroccan national team experienced a turbulent pre-match for their debut in the 2025 Arab Cup. The team bus arrived late at the stadium, due to a visa issue concerning two players. However, this incident did not prevent the Atlas Lions from beating the Comoros (3-1).
The confusion began just before departure for the stadium. The organizers realized that defender Marouane Louadni and striker Tarik Tissoudali had entered Qatar with standard tourist visas. However, the regulations required official "Hayya" permits for the participants. Without these documents, the two men could not be registered on the match sheet.
The organizing committee proposed a backup solution: to have the team leave immediately and transport the two stranded players later, once the paperwork was sorted out. The Moroccan delegation rejected this option. Out of solidarity, the group insisted on traveling together in the official bus, accepting the risk of arriving late rather than leaving two teammates behind.
On the field, the players remained focused despite this truncated preparation. This opening victory launches their tournament before the matches against Oman and Saudi Arabia.
