The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has launched an investigation into the Algeria women’s national football team following allegations of violations of CAF regulations during the ongoing TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2024 in Morocco.
CAF stated that it will refrain from making any additional comments until the investigation is complete.
Meanwhile, the Algerian Football Federation and local media attempted to obscure their participation in the tournament, which is being hosted in Morocco. Their actions, which include altering official logos and ignoring Moroccan sponsors, have raised questions about their motivations, particularly against the backdrop of ongoing political tensions between Algeria and Morocco centered around the Western Sahara issue.
Morocco is hosting the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations from July 5 to 26, 2025, after previously successfully organizing the tournament in 2022. This prominent sporting event will feature the best women’s teams from across the African continent.
Since the tournament’s inception, observers have noted a series of steps taken by Algeria indicative of efforts to erase any references to Morocco. For instance, the Algeria women’s national team’s official page posted promotional images for the tournament but notably altered the CAF logo by removing the word “Morocco.”
This alteration has drawn widespread criticism as it constitutes a breach of organizational regulations, especially given that Algeria is competing on Moroccan soil and benefiting from the provided facilities.
The media coverage has also been contentious; Algerian state television is reported to have modified advertisements for the tournament. Notably, the logo of Royal Air Maroc, one of the official event sponsors, was replaced with that of another company. Such changes have prompted severe criticism, as neglecting official sponsors is viewed as a violation of contractual obligations with CAF. Reports also indicate that the Algeria women’s team uniforms were carefully designed to eliminate any references associated with Morocco, further escalating the controversy.
Authorities appear to have instructed the Algerian team to refrain from participating in official photos or events that clearly indicate Morocco as the host nation. These coordinated actions raise questions about whether they reflect independent administrative decisions or a deeper political stance.
The context surrounding these actions cannot be fully understood without acknowledging the complex political relations between Morocco and Algeria. Since the severing of diplomatic ties in August 2021, disputes have intensified, particularly concerning Western Sahara. Algeria supports the Polisario Front’s claim for independence in the region, while Morocco considers the territory an integral part of its nation. Morocco has made significant diplomatic strides, having garnered support from numerous countries regarding its position on the issue.
These tensions have also permeated the sports arena, with previous tournaments—such as the African Nations Championship held in Algeria in 2023—witnessing sharp disputes that led to Morocco’s withdrawal due to Algeria’s refusal to permit the Moroccan team to travel directly from Rabat.
In the context of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, Algeria appears determined to avoid any engagement that might be interpreted as acceptance or normalization of relations with Morocco, even in a sporting context. This stance reflects the internal political sensitivities in Algeria, where any collaboration, even indirectly, with Morocco is seen as potentially exploitable for propaganda purposes.
Source
