Morocco Withdraws from CHAN 2023 as Algeria Denies Flight Authorization

Scheduled from January 13 to February 4, 2023 in Algeria, the CHAN 2023 will apparently take place without the defending champion Morocco. In a statement, the FRMF announces that the final authorization of its Royal Air Maroc (RAM) flight, the official carrier of the Moroccan National Football Teams, from Rabat to Constantine has not been confirmed. Yet, the FRMF had been informed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) that an in-principle authorization had been obtained.

Fouzi Lekjaa and his team, based on the assurances, even communicated the details of the flight plan and coordinates of the Atlas Lions in order to obtain the final authorization of the RAM flight from Rabat to Constantine. They continued the preparation of the trip and that of the Moroccan national team with the preparation camp at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Salé from January 6 to 10, 2023 during which two friendly matches against Ethiopia were played. The players were even summoned on Wednesday, January 11 to return to the training camp in the hope of a final authority.

If 24 hours before the competition, Morocco is still not certain about this authorization, the FRMF will take the necessary measures such as the boycott of CHAN 2023, in accordance with the decisions taken on December 27 by the federation’s executive committee.