The match between Moroccan team Renaissance Berkane and Algerian team Union de la Médina d'Alger, scheduled for Sunday as part of the African Confederation Cup semi-finals, was canceled after Algeria refused to release the Moroccan club’s jerseys held at the airport due to a map of Morocco printed on them. The Moroccan team insisted on playing in the jerseys they brought from Morocco, which was rejected by Algerian authorities, who stated they provided alternative replica jerseys without a map of Morocco. Consequently, the match was ultimately canceled.
While Union de la Médina d'Alger warmed up on the field, the Moroccan team and the match officials did not enter the pitch, and the fate of the return match set for next Sunday in Morocco remains unclear. The winner of that match is set to face the winner of the encounter between Zamalek and Ghana's Dreams FC, which ended in a 0-0 draw in Cairo.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) issued a statement regarding the incident, confirming that the first leg of the African Confederation Cup semi-final between Union de la Médina d'Alger and Renaissance Berkane was not played as scheduled in Algiers on April 21. CAF also announced that an investigation into the incident was initiated, referring the issue to the relevant bodies, and emphasized the necessity of allowing the Moroccan team their jerseys; however, Algeria completely refused, asserting that alternative jerseys were available for play.
