Morocco Threatens CHAN 2023 Boycott Over Travel Dispute with Algeria

Morocco will be represented at this tournament by its under-23 team. Concretely, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has demanded that the Atlas Lions go to Constantine, the host city of Morocco’s matches, via a direct flight from Rabat on a Royal Air Maroc (RAM) plane, the official carrier of the national teams. Otherwise, the national team will not participate in the competition.

In this regard, Fouzi Lekjaa explained during a meeting held on Tuesday that the FRMF has sent correspondence to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) so that the latter ensures that the specifications of the competition, particularly the aspect concerning the reception of the participating teams, are respected.

For the record, the day after the severance of diplomatic relations, Algeria had decided to close its air borders with Morocco, thus prohibiting Royal Air Maroc (RAM) from serving Algeria and aircraft from Morocco or of Moroccan registration, civil and military, from overflying its airspace.