Morocco on Thursday selected to partake within the African Nations Championship (CHAN) regardless of earlier proclaiming their withdrawal from the event as a result of Algerian airspace blockade of Moroccan plane, proclaimed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The Moroccan national team will travel to Algeria tomorrow to participate in the CHAN,” the ministry stated on Thursday.
The competitors kicked off in model on Friday.
Morocco’s FRMF soccer federation stated in an announcement earlier Thursday that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) had knowledgeable it final month that Algeria had issued “an authorization in principle” for the flight.
But simply 24 hours earlier than the beginning of the event, the FRMF stated it “notes with regret that the definitive authorization for the flight from Rabat to Constantine has unfortunately not been confirmed.”
Algeria closed its airspace to all Moroccan flights in September 2021, the month after it lower off diplomatic ties with its rival, accusing it of “hostile acts”.
That was the most recent escalation in a long-running rivalry fuelled by the Western Sahara dispute and relations with Israel.
The Moroccan group, which made historical past final month by turning into the primary African or Arab group ever to achieve the semi-finals of a World Cup, have gained the previous two African Nations Championships.
