CAN 2025: The obstacle course for Algerian supporters to reach Morocco

"It feels like we’re in Algiers!" This heartfelt cry from a supporter sums up the atmosphere that reigned in the Moroccan capital on December 24. Green and white flags, chants glorifying the Fennecs... The men of Riyad Mahrez and Luca Zidane - observed from the stands by his father Zinedine - felt right at home for their debut.

However, a large part of this audience was made up of Algerians already residing in Morocco (Casablanca, Tangier, Marrakech). For those who came from Algeria, the trip was a logistical and financial feat.

Tunisia or France: the mandatory detour

Diplomatic relations being broken, no direct flight connects Algeria to Morocco and the land border has been closed since 1994. To reach Rabat, fans had to show ingenuity and break their piggy banks.

Sofiane, from Annaba, recounts his journey to the newspaper Le Monde: "I took a taxi to cover the 350 km to Tunis-Carthage airport, then the plane to Rabat." For Algerians like Ramy, the detour went through Europe: "I went through Marseille. The trip is quite expensive but I don’t regret it." Stopovers in France or Tunisia that have considerably increased the bill, especially during this end-of-year holiday period.

The headache of the E-Visa and the "YALLA" app

Beyond transportation, it was the administration that gave the supporters cold sweats. While Algerians could previously enter without a visa, the organizing committee has introduced an exceptional measure: from September 25, 2025 to January 25, 2026, an electronic visa is required for nationals of eight countries (including Algeria, Senegal and Tunisia).

Obtained via the official "YALLA" app and coupled with a "FAN ID", this passport has experienced glitches. "Everything was blocked and people were crying scandal. The files were finally unblocked late, a week before the competition," confides an Algerian journalist.

Financial guarantee and accommodation requirements have also complicated the task, discouraging travel agencies from organizing group trips. Even Senegalese journalists have had their initial requests rejected, proving that the administrative burden has spared no one.