The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has opened an investigation against the Algerian women’s national team, ahead of their final Group B clash with Nigeria’s Super Falcons at the ongoing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
CAF, in a statement on Thursday, said the investigation is due to alleged violations of its tatutes and regulations at this year’s tournament.
“The Confédération Africaine de Football (“CAF”) has opened an investigation against the Algerian Women’s National Team on alleged violations of the CAF Statutes and Regulations during the on-going TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2024,” the continent’s football governing body stated.
“CAF will not make any further comment on the matter until the process is finalized.”
This is not the first time political friction between Algeria and Morocco has spilled out onto the football pitch.
According to The New Arab, though the statement did not provide details, the alleged infractions are understood to relate to actions taken by the Algerian delegation to conceal references to Morocco, the host nation.
These reportedly include covering the word “Morocco” from official tournament insignia during media appearances, and placing black tape over the logo of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation on designated seating areas.
Algerian state media are also said to have obscured both the “Morocco 2024” tournament branding and the Royal Air Maroc logo, an official sponsor, during a press conference with the team’s coach.
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It remains unclear why the Algerian Football Federation sought to obscure the logos, which feature the Moroccan flag and royal crown, symbols widely associated with national identity in the North African kingdom.
Algeria – Morocco Long Feud
This is not the first time political friction between Algeria and Morocco has spilt onto the football pitch.
The two neighbours have long-standing tensions, rooted in a broader geopolitical dispute over Western Sahara.
Morocco claims sovereignty over the territory, while Algeria backs the separatist Polisario Front. The issue has sabotaged bilateral relations for decades, and football has not been spared.
In January 2023, Morocco withdrew from the African Nations Championship (CHAN) hosted in Algeria, after Algerian authorities refused to allow a direct Royal Air Maroc flight from Rabat to Constantine.
Algeria had cut all ties with Rabat and closed its airspace to Moroccan aircraft in 2021, following Rabat’s normalisation of relations with Israel.
During the opening ceremony of that tournament, remarks by Nelson Mandela’s grandson, describing Western Sahara as “the last colony in Africa”, were met with strong rebuke from Moroccan officials.
Chants reportedly voiced by Algerian fans against Morocco further escalated tensions, prompting formal diplomatic complaints.
CAF’s Disciplinary Board later confirmed that no sanctions would be imposed on Morocco over its withdrawal, but reminded all member associations to refrain from political messaging during official events.
In a separate incident this year, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) sided with Algeria’s football federation in an appeal against CAF’s decision to allow RS Berkane, a Moroccan club, to wear jerseys depicting a controversial map that included Western Sahara as part of Moroccan territory.
The Algerian club USM Alger hailed the verdict as “sporting justice”. At the same time, Berkane cast it as a partial victory after CAF declined to annul the results of the previous year’s semi-final ties or impose disciplinary action.
As for the current tournament, it remains to be seen how the ongoing investigation might affect Algeria’s team.
The final Group B fixture between the Super Falcons and Algeria on Sunday is now in question, with reports from Morocco suggesting that rule breaches may have occurred.
Should CAF determine that Algeria committed violations, the team could face heavy sanctions or even expulsion from the tournament.
Algeria, on four points, are second in Group B with the Super Falcons in first position after victories against Tunisia and Botswana.
