Morocco have pulled out of the African Nations Championship blaming the host and neighbour Algeria for preventing the national football team from reaching the games because it closed its airspace.
"The Moroccan national team is unable to reach [the Algerian city of] Constantine because permission for their flight with Royal Air Maroc, the team's official transporter, has not been confirmed," the FRMF, Morocco's football federation, said in a statement on Thursday.
It said the Confederation of African Football (CAF) had informed it last month that Algeria had issued "an authorisation in principle" for the flight.
But only 24 hours before the tournament starts on Friday, the FRMF said it "notes with regret that the definitive authorisation for the flight from Rabat to Constantine has unfortunately not been confirmed".
The biennial games bring together teams drawn from players in the national leagues of 18 countries across the continent.
Morocco made history last month by becoming the first African or Arab team to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup. The country has won the past two African Nations Championships, putting them level with the Democratic Republic of Congo as the most successful teams in the tournament.
Strained relations between Algeria and Morocco have soured since the government in Algiers cut diplomatic ties with Rabat in 2021. Algeria accused Morocco of “hostile acts” after a string of diplomatic incidents and the collapse of a 30-year ceasefire in the Sahara, a key point of tension between the two countries.
Rabat considers the former Spanish colony in the Sahara region an integral part of its kingdom, a view supported by the majority of Arab states.
But Algeria backs an armed independence movement that has waged an insurgency against the government for decades.
Morocco’s King Mohammed VI in November invited Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune for talks in Rabat to end the tensions after he did not attend the first Arab League summit in three years hosted by Algeria.
Morocco players return the Rabat after stunning World Cup
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King Mohammed VI, Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan and Prince Moulay Rachid pose with the Moroccan national football team at the royal palace in Rabat. EPA -
King Mohammed with the country's football team and their relatives at the royal palace. AFP -
Moroccans cheer on their national football team in Rabat after their heroics in reaching the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar. EPA -
Moroccans show their support for their football team in Rabat. EPA -
People in Rabat wave flags and chant 'ole, ole, ole, ole, Maghreb, Maghreb' — the Arabic name for Morocco. EPA -
The Atlas Lions became the first North African and first Arab nation to reach the semi-finals of the Fifa World Cup. AP -
Crowds took to the streets, hoping to catch a glimpse of the players who travelled from the airport into the capital on an open-top bus. AP -
The heroics of Morocco players won them fans across the world. AFP -
Cheering fans in Rabat celebrate with flares as Morocco's players pass through the city on an open-top bus on Tuesday, December 20, 2022. Reuters -
Fans light flares during the Morocco team's homecoming parade in central Rabat. AP -
Morocco's Nayef Aguerd and Abde Ez during the bus parade in Rabat. Reuters -
The Morocco players wave to fans from their team bus as they parade through central Rabat. AP -
The Morocco players are welcomed home by fans in Rabat. AP -
The Morocco players are greeted by fans in Rabat. AP -
Morocco players parade through the streets of Rabat. Reuters -
Morocco players wave flags on their team bus as fans celebrate with flares. Reuters -
People gather in Rabat to welcome the Morocco team home. AP -
Morocco players on the bus before the start of the parade. Reuters -
Fans prepare for the return of the Morocco football team with flags in the capital Rabat. Reuters -
Crowds gather to welcome the team. AP -
Moroccans gathered on their balconies and hung flags in anticipation of the team's return. Reuters -
The Morocco players stand on their open-top bus. Reuters -
The bus took the players from the airport to Rabat, with fans gathering along the way to welcome their heroes. Reuters -
Fans greeted the bus with cheers and songs as darkness fell in Rabat. AP -
Jubilant crowds lit flares and partied in central Rabat. Reuters -
Morocco's Abderrazak Hamdallah and teammates arrive at the airport before their bus parade. Reuters -
Morocco ended fourth after losing to Croatia in the third-place play-off. Reuters
