Algeria tarnishes the Women’s AFCON with anti-Moroccan bias

Algeria’s participation in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations has been overshadowed by repeated efforts to downplay Morocco’s role as host country, sparking outrage both on and off the field.

From the start, the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) engaged in visual censorship, omitting Morocco’s name from official logos. After their match against Botswana, Algeria published the team lineup without mentioning the host nation. Morocco Intel reported that this led to a formal warning from the CAF.

Algerian TV channel Canal Algérie blurred the Royal Air Maroc logo during a press conference, replacing it with TotalEnergies. Coach Farid Benstiti even removed references to Morocco from his personal insignia.

Several Algerian players, including captain Sofia Guellati, boycotted official photos and refused to attend the trophy ceremony in Rabat. Guellati reportedly referred to Morocco as “another country.”

In 2024, the FAF had already prevented Moroccan club RS Berkane from wearing a jersey showing Morocco’s full map, prompting the CAF to cancel the match and award victory to the Moroccan team.

These provocations raise concerns over CAF’s silence. Can the governing body truly uphold fair play and sportsmanship? While the players strive for victory, the politicization of the tournament tarnishes the image of African women’s football. How long will CAF tolerate these actions?