CHAN
CAF President, Motsepe helpless in the Algeria-Morocco diplomatic spat
CAF president, Patrice Motsepe, facing easily the most challenging intrigue in his close to two-year presidency in CAF has been helpless in the attempt to solve the politically-motivated spat between Morocco and Algeria.
He remarked that he recognized the situation as a “blockade,” emphasizing that he did the best he could to allow the Atlas Lions to travel to Constantine for CHAN.
In a statement to the press in Sale near Rabat, Motsepe said he did “everything possible” to convince Algerian authorities to issue permits to allow a Royal Air Maroc flight to carry the Atlas Lions from Rabat to Constantine to take part in the continental tournament.
“It makes me sad. I want Morocco in Algeria. I want these young boys to represent the people of Morocco and the people of Africa,” he told the press.
Motsepe arrived in Morocco today to take part in the FIFA Club World Cup draw, which took place at the Mohammed VI Academy in Sale in the presence of FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Regretting the lack of response from Algeria, Motsepe acknowledged Algeria’s reluctance to issue permission for Morocco as a “blockade.”
“I recognized it as a blockade. I said, Allow them to come. But they said it is a sovereign matter, we are dealing with this issue,” he said.
He added that Algerian officials, including Foreign Affairs Minister Ramtane Lamamra and Head of State Abdelmadjid Tebboune claimed that they want the national team to arrive in Algeria to participate in the tournament.
“The minister of foreign affairs of Algeria, the government of Algeria, head of state of Algeria said we want Morocco, we want them to play, we want them to come to Algeria and we will give them the best of hospitality, they are our brothers,” Motsepe said.
Morocco’s national football team went to the Rabat-Sale international airport waiting to fly to Constantine pending an official response from Algeria.
Converging reports have since detailed that a bus carrying the Atlas Lions has left the airport amid the absence of a response.
Morocco’s Football Federation (FRMF) stressed that the U23 national team will only participate in the tournament if a direct flight carries the Atlas Lions from Rabat to Constantine.
FRMF emphasized that Royal Air Maroc is the official carrier of the national team, stressing that the host country “should facilitate” the participation of the Moroccan squad.
Ghana and Nigeria are paired together for the third time in the qualifying series for the African Nations Championship. They had met in the 2009 and the 2022 series. The aggregate results were in Ghana’s favour.
First in the 2009 qualifiers, Nigeria squandered a 2-0 first-half lead in Accra and lost 3-2. But going into the return leg played in Calabar, they could not score a goal that could have seen them through on away goal rule as they ended the match 0-0.
In the last edition, Nigeria for the 2023 edition, Nigeria lost 2-0 in Accra but levelled up in Abuja after a late 2-0 win. But in the eventual penalty shoot-out, the Nigerian team lost 5-4.
Will they overcome Ghana this time?
There will be no qualifying series for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in North Africa. This is sequel to the withdrawal of Algeria and Egypt.
With the region entitled to three teams, the remaining three – Morocco, Tunisia and Libya qualify automatically.
The age-long rivalry has again been rekindled as the draw for the 2025 African Nations Championship has pitched Ghana and Nigeria together.
Both teams have a rivalry that dates back to 1951 and will have a confrontation that determines which country will qualify for the tournament which is opened only to domestic players.
It is also a measure of the relative strength of the domestic leagues of the countries. Ghana and Nigeria will play just in the second round of the West Africa Zone B qualifier while Togo and Benin will the first round and the winner play against Niger Republic.
The rivalry of Nigeria and Ghana has gone beyond sports, especially in football, It extends to the culinary industry as each claims to be better in the cooking of Jollof rice, hence the ‘Jollof Rice’ controversy.
In another West Africa Zone B qualifiers, Cote d’Ivoire will face Burkina Faso. The first round of qualifiers will be played on the weekend of 25 – 27 October and 01 – 03 November 2024, with the second round confirmed for 20 – 22 December and 27 – 29 December 2024.
Three nations qualify for the tournament from each zone except the East, where one country qualifies with co-hosts Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
Finals to be played from Feb 1-28, 2025 in Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and Kampala.
North Region
Libya, Morocco and Tunisia qualify automatically
West A region
First Round
- Sierra Leone v Liberia
Second Round
- Sierra Leone or Liberia v Senegal (holders)
Mauritania v Mali
Guinea v Guinea-Bissau
West B region
First Round
Togo v Benin
Second Round
Togo or Benin v Niger
Ivory Coast v Burkina Faso
Ghana v Nigeria
Central region
Second Round
Equatorial Guinea v Congo Brazzaville
Central African Republic v Cameroon
Chad v Democratic Republic of Congo
East region
First Round
Burundi v Somalia
Ethiopia v Eritrea
Sudan v Tanzania (co-hosts)
South Sudan v Kenya (co-hosts)
Djibouti v Rwanda
Second Round
Burundi or Somalia v Uganda (co-hosts)
Ethiopia or Eritrea v Sudan or Tanzania
South Sudan or Kenya v Djibouti or Rwanda
South region
First Round
Zimbabwe v Eswatini
Lesotho v Namibia
Second Round
Zimbabwe or Eswatini v Madagascar
Lesotho or Namibia v Angola
Mozambique v Zambia
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