Rabat – Morocco’s Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has vetoed the UAE’s request to host the remainder of CAF Champions League games scheduled for next September.
Morocco’s daily Assabah reported on July 6 that the FRMF expressed its opposition during a meeting of the CAF Executive Committee over the weekend.
The newspaper said Egypt put pressure on CAF, supporting the UAE’s request to host the matches in Abu Dhabi rather than Cameroon, where it was previously scheduled.
Morocco refused to back the UAE’s request due to the “strong presence of the Egyptian diaspora” in Abu Dhabi, which would be in favor of Egyptian clubs, Assabah reported. However, FRMF is yet to officially announce its position.
Despite Egypt’s alleged interference, CAF is the only legitimate body to decide on the matter.
CAF suspended all sports activities this year due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
The Director of CAF Competitions Committee Samson Adam announced in June that CAF Champions League and the Confederation Cup will resume in September.
He said that while the final dates are not yet fixed, the Champions League final will be in Cameroon while the other event will take place in Rabat.
Prior to the suspension of the matches, Moroccan football giants Wydad de Casablanca and Raja de Casablanca had been scheduled to play Champions League semi-final matches against Egyptian clubs Al Ahly and Zamalek.
