BY ISSAH OLEGOR
Morocco will face Mali in 0 an international friendly on Sunday, October 4, after the planned meeting between the Atlas Lions and Ghana’s Black Stars was cancelled.
The fixture between Ghana and Morocco had initially been scheduled for the Grand Stade de Tanger during the October international window. However, the match will no longer go ahead, leaving Morocco to quickly find a replacement opponent.
Reports from Moroccan outlet Hespress linked Ghana’s withdrawal to an alleged dispute over outstanding financial entitlements owed to Black Stars players. The report further claimed that some members of the Ghana squad had been reluctant to travel to Morocco because of the issue.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has, however, not officially confirmed that financial disagreements were responsible for the cancellation. The specific reason for Ghana’s withdrawal therefore remains undisclosed by the association.
The cancellation comes after a difficult start to Ghana’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign under head coach Carlos Queiroz.
The Black Stars suffered a 2-0 defeat to Côte d’Ivoire in their opening Group C qualifier in Bouaké before conceding a two-goal advantage and losing 4-2 to The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Ghana’s consecutive defeats have left the Black Stars without a point from their opening two qualifying matches and under pressure ahead of the next round of qualifiers in November.
The proposed Morocco friendly had been expected to give Queiroz an opportunity to assess his squad following the two competitive fixtures and prepare for the next phase of the AFCON qualification campaign.
With Ghana no longer available, Morocco moved quickly to secure another opponent. Mali have now stepped in, following the cancellation of their previously scheduled friendly against Tunisia.
The Malian Football Federation confirmed the new arrangement, with the Eagles set to travel to Tangier for the encounter at the Grand Stade de Tanger. Kick-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. GMT on Sunday.
The replacement fixture gives both teams an opportunity to maintain their competitive rhythm during the international break.
Morocco enter the friendly after making a strong start to their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign, winning their opening two matches. Mali have also recorded victories in their first two qualifying fixtures.
