The highly-anticipated first leg of the Caf Confederation Cup semi-final between USM Alger and Renaissance Berkane was unexpectedly postponed on Sunday due to a dispute over the design of the visiting team’s shirt.
Renaissance Berkane’s jersey prominently features an extended map of Morocco, which includes the disputed territory of Western Sahara. The map, displayed in the centre of the shirt, has been deemed provocative by Algeria, leading to the confiscation of the kit by customs officials upon the arrival of the Moroccan club in the country on Friday.
Despite Berkane having used the same jersey throughout the current season’s competition, as well as a similar design in previous continental campaigns, USM Alger raised objections. A hastily-convened meeting of the Confederation of African Football (Caf) inter-clubs committee ultimately upheld Berkane’s right to wear the contentious shirt in Algiers.
In a surprising turn of events, both teams travelled to the stadium for the match. USM Alger appeared on the pitch for kick-off, while the visitors opted to remain in their dressing room. Caf released a statement following the incident, indicating that the matter would be referred to the appropriate authorities. Additionally, the governing body extended an apology to sponsors, TV partners, and supporters for any inconvenience caused by the postponement of the game.
USM Alger, the current holders of the Confederation Cup, were set to face off against Berkane, who clinched victory in the tournament in both 2020 and 2022, in the first leg of the semi-final. The second leg of the semi-final is now scheduled to take place in Berkane on Sunday, 28th April.
Beyond the apparent jersey dispute, the strained relationship between Algeria and Morocco has been an ongoing source of tension for many years. Diplomatic relations between the two nations were severed by Algeria in 2021. Furthermore, Morocco withdrew from the African Nations Championship, which took place in Algeria last year, after being barred from flying directly from Rabat.
The root of the ongoing political dispute lies in Morocco’s claim to Western Sahara, beginning in 1957 when the territory was still under Spanish rule, and culminating in its annexation in 1975. Despite being sparsely populated, Western Sahara boasts valuable phosphate reserves and rich fishing grounds, making it the subject of a prolonged territorial dispute between Morocco and its indigenous Sahrawi people, represented by the Polisario Front.
In response, the Polisario Front proclaimed the establishment of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic in 1976, with an exiled government based in Algeria. After a 16-year insurgency, a truce was brokered by the UN in 1991, although the territorial dispute remains unresolved.
As tensions continue to simmer, the controversy surrounding the map on Berkane’s jersey serves as a stark reminder of the political complexities that persist in the region.