Morocco has cancelled its international friendly match against Ghana, which was set to take place on October 4 at the Grand Stade de Tanger. The match was part of both countries' preparations during the September-October international window. The fixture had been officially announced by both the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF). The match was scheduled for a 6:00 pm kick-off Moroccan time.
The cancellation was confirmed by the Ghana Football Association after reports emerged that the proposed encounter would no longer take place. Henry Asante, the communications director of the GFA, confirmed to Moroccan publication Hesport that the Black Stars would not travel to Tanger for the friendly. Ghana had informed the Moroccan football federation of its decision to cancel the encounter and thanked the Moroccan side for its understanding.
Although the Ghanaian federation has not publicly stated why the fixture was cancelled, Hesport reported that the decision was connected to an internal dispute involving financial entitlements owed to members of the Black Stars. The publication reported that the disagreement had affected preparations for the friendly, with some players allegedly unwilling to travel to Morocco. However, this account remains a media report rather than an officially confirmed explanation from the GFA.
The cancellation comes after Ghana's difficult day on the pitch, suffering a 4-2 defeat to The Gambia in their AFCON 2027 qualifying fixture on September 29. The result represented another setback for Ghana as they continue their campaign for a place at the tournament. Morocco, meanwhile, defeated Lesotho 2-0 in their Group A encounter. Both teams had planned to use the friendly to assess their squads and provide players with additional international experience.
With Ghana withdrawing from the fixture, the Moroccan football authorities are expected to explore alternatives for October 4. Hesport reported that the Royal Moroccan Football Federation had begun looking for another opponent to preserve the planned date and allow the Atlas Lions to maintain their international programme. The Moroccan federation had opened ticket sales for supporters, with tickets announced in several categories.
The fixture had been planned as a squad assessment for both teams, with Ghana's head coach Otto Addo expecting to examine players beyond the competitive AFCON qualifiers and assess his options against one of Africa's leading national teams. Morocco similarly planned to use the fixture as part of their preparations and squad assessment following their competitive engagements in the AFCON qualifying campaign.
There has been no indication that the fixture will simply be postponed to another date. For now, the October 4 encounter at the Grand Stade de Tanger has been cancelled, with Ghana formally communicating its decision to the Moroccan federation. The Ghana Football Association has not announced whether another opponent will be arranged for the Black Stars during the remainder of the international window.
Key points
- Morocco cancels international friendly against Ghana due to undisclosed reasons.
- Ghana was set to use the friendly to assess its squad ahead of upcoming competitions.
- Morocco is now seeking a replacement opponent for the October 4 date.
