Several Algerian TV channels appear to have hit the limit as they try to cover the African Cup of Nations 2025 in Morocco without ever acknowledging, visually or narratively, the country hosting it.
Followers of Algerian media get the impression that the current continental tournament has no host nation as if it was held in a void.
While Morocco delivers one of the most applauded, modern and smoothly organized tournaments in recent memory with world class stadiums, bustling fan zones, and an atmosphere celebrated by African media and supporters alike, some Algerian broadcasters seem to have embarked on a cinematic experiment of their own: erasing any reference to Morocco or the Moroccan flag.
Instead of showing the vibrant urban scenes of Rabat, Agadir, Tangier, Fez Marrakech or Casablanca, correspondents from channels such as Ennahar are dispatched to what look like empty lots, dimly lit back alleys, or nondescript patches of land that could be located anywhere between the Sahara and the moon.
Some segments by Algerian TVs were shot in dark places as if there were no lights in the city of lights: Rabat. Some segments even feature “supporters” invited to complain on cue, delivering their lines with the dramatic finesse of a sitcom rehearsal.
Blinded by hostility to anything Moroccan, the regime is using the media to construct a media universe where Morocco does not exist. Or at least, not visually. Not through its achievements. Not through the images that speak louder than any commentator.
But the effect is the opposite of what’s intended. The more these channels try to hide Morocco, the more they reveal their own discomfort and their own distance from on the ground realities.
Because in the real world, beyond the studio lights and ideological filters, CAN 2025 is unfolding magnificently. Stadiums are full. International journalists praise the Moroccan organization.
Visiting fans, including thousands of Algerians, commend the hospitality and the infrastructure. The football is good, the logistics smooth, and the mood festive.
By refusing to show Morocco, these channels only highlight what they fear most: a reality in which Morocco’s organization is not only visible but undeniable and openly praised by Africans from Dakar to Dar es Salaam.
As Algiers tilts toward US rivals, Washington imposes steep security deposits on Algerian travelers
The United States has added Algeria to the list of countries whose citizens must now pay a $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 security deposit to apply for a temporary B1/B2 visa, according to a notice published by the State Department on January 6, 2026.
This financial guarantee, paid through Pay.gov after a visa interview, targets countries with high visa overstay rates or inadequate verification systems.
It is refunded if the traveler leaves the United States before the visa expires but withheld if the visitor overstays.
For most Algerians, the required deposit is unaffordable. Because access to foreign currency is restricted, applicants must purchase dollars on the black market, where a $15,000 deposit equals more than 3.5 million dinars, far beyond the reach of the average citizen.
Algeria is qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be co-hosted in the US. Many fans had hoped to travel to the United States for group stage matches. The new financial requirement will prevent many from making the trip.
This administrative tightening also coincides with Algeria’s growing alignment with US rivals such as Iran. While Washington has not publicly linked the security deposit program to geopolitics, the move adds to recent tensions, including a 30% US surtax on Algerian imports.
Algeria is now the only country in North Africa subject to this measure, joining 38 others worldwide.
