The African Cup of Nations hosted in Morocco is uniting Africans under the banner of sport. But Algeria has a different opinion.
The country, ruled by anti-Morocco men in uniform, have portrayed the tournament in its official media as a political theater, proving that when diplomacy is in tatters, football can be weaponized.
From the start, the regime’s strategy was struggling to control narrative, dim the lights, and keep Morocco out of the frame. Ennahar TV, Algeria’s flagship broadcaster, avoided Rabat’s gleaming stadiums and instead hunted for dark corners whenever its journalists wanted to speak live. In Algeria’s optics game, darkness is patriotic.
The media circus didn’t stop there. One journalist lied to viewers about the conditions of his national team’s stay. Players of the Fennecs discredited him later in press conferences praising the quality of stadiums, generosity of Moroccans and conditions of stay. The journalist was recalled faster.
Meanwhile, many pro-regime Algerians whipped up outrage over “ticket shortages,” ignoring the real issue: fans never bought tickets because Algeria’s banking system is stuck in the analog age.
CAF’s online sales were a bridge too far for a country allergic to digital payments. But why admit that when you can blame the neighbor?
Then came the flag wars. Moroccan flags vanished from Algerian broadcasts, sponsor logos blurred like state secrets.
Even the team’s departure was announced without saying “Morocco,” as if they were off to a classified tournament. And in a move that spoke volumes, Algeria invited an imam to lead Friday prayers inside the team’s hotel, while other Muslim African squads prayed in Morocco’s mosques alongside local worshippers, sending a message of brotherliness and compassion. A small act, but a loud message: even faith must be quarantined from Moroccan soil.
This wasn’t Algeria’s first sports skirmish. Remember RS Berkane’s confiscated jerseys for showing Morocco’s full map? Or Moroccan athletes sidelined at the Mediterranean Games? AFCON 2025 is just the latest episode in Algeria’s desperate and despicable campaign against all things Moroccan.
