ALGERIAN PATRIOTS - ENGLISH

AFCON 2025 will remain one of the most controversial editions in the recent history of African football — not for its spectacle, but for the blatant inequality in the treatment of participants: an Algeria heavily sanctioned, and a host nation, Morocco, consistently spared. The facts are clear, documented, and stubborn: CAF chose its target. 1. Algeria hit with exemplary — and disproportionate — sanctions Following the Algeria–Nigeria quarter-final on January 10, 2026, CAF imposed an unprecedented avalanche of penalties on the Algerian Football Federation: Luca Zidane suspended for two matches (AFCON 2027 qualifiers) Rafik Belghali suspended for four matches , including two with a suspended ban Total fines of around 100,000 USD , including: multiple yellow cards (5,000 USD), inappropriate behaviour by players and officials (25,000 USD), use of flares (5,000 USD), throwing objects (5,000 USD), security breaches (10,000 USD), offensive gestures by supporters (50,000 USD). Such cumul...

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations , hosted by Morocco at the cost of billions, was supposed to mark the kingdom’s definitive entry into the circle of major global sporting powers. Instead, it will be remembered as one of the most controversial editions—not for its level of play, but for what it revealed: the exposure of an institutionalized cheating system, planned long in advance, executed behind the scenes of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and ultimately thwarted on the field by what many have called, not without irony, a form of poetic justice. Morocco’s defeat in the final against Senegal (1–0, on January 18, 2026) does not erase the scandal; it sheds light on it. A CAN under suspicion from the first whistle Throughout the tournament, the Moroccan team benefited from refereeing decisions that were unanimously contested. From the group stage match against Mali, then against Tanzania in the round of 16 and Cameroon in the quarterfinals, clear penalties against Morocco we...

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has issued a final ruling in the controversial case between USM Alger (Algeria) and RS Berkane (Morocco) in the CAF Confederation Cup for the 2023/2024 season . This decision represents a humiliating defeat for Morocco , which attempted to use football as a tool to legitimize its illegal occupation of Western Sahara. However, its efforts have failed miserably , as CAS has reaffirmed that political manipulation has no place in sports. Morocco’s Attempt to Politicize Football and Impose an Illegal Narrative On April 21, 2024, USM Alger was scheduled to face RS Berkane in the CAF Confederation Cup quarter-finals . However, the Algerian team refused to play the match after discovering that RS Berkane’s jerseys featured a political map depicting Western Sahara as part of Morocco . This was an explicit attempt by Morocco to use football as a tool for political propaganda , violating international law and CAF regulations , which prohibit politic...

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has delivered a scathing verdict that exposes the deep flaws within the Confederation of African Football (CAF). By overturning CAF’s decision to approve RS Berkane’s controversial jerseys, CAS has not only corrected a regulatory violation but has also shed light on severe governance and integrity failures within the organization. However, this ruling extends beyond a simple legal dispute. It highlights a far more alarming issue: the growing political influence over CAF and the persistent suspicions of corruption that tarnish its management. The CAS decision serves as a clear condemnation, raising a crucial question: Is CAF still a credible and impartial institution, or has it become a tool for vested interests? A ruling that exposes CAF’s failings The controversy erupted in April 2024 when CAF approved RS Berkane’s jerseys, which featured a map of Morocco that included Western Sahara—an internationally disputed territory. This decision directly...