Morocco is not going to participate in a soccer event being held in Algeria after the Algerian authorities rejected its request for the staff to fly there straight on Morocco’s nationwide airline, the Moroccan soccer federation mentioned on Thursday.
Algeria closed its airspace to Moroccan plane in 2021 after it unilaterally severed diplomatic ties with its North African neighbour.
Morocco is the title holder of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) for gamers below 23 who nonetheless play in African nations. The event begins on Friday and finishes on Feb. 4.
Football authorities in Rabat had written to the Confederation of African Football to say Morocco would solely participate if its staff may take a direct flight to Algeria with Royal Air Maroc.
Morocco’s senior nationwide staff final month grew to become the primary from an African nation to succeed in the World Cup semifinals, elevating the worldwide profile of Moroccan soccer.
Algeria and Morocco are at odds over a variety of points together with the way forward for Western Sahara, a territory that Morocco regards as its personal however the place Algeria backs an armed independence motion.