A new legal case has emerged from Algeria’s quarter-final defeat to Nigeria at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, with an Algerian supporter sent to prison in Morocco after tearing Moroccan banknotes in the stands.
The incident occurred during the 2–0 loss at Grand Stade de Marrakech, and footage of the act quickly spread across social media, provoking controversy.
Moroccan authorities confirmed the fan’s arrest and his placement in pre-trial detention on charges of insulting the national currency. He was apprehended at Casablanca Airport, then referred to the courts in Marrakesh, where the public prosecutor ordered that he be held in custody pending further investigations, according to French outlet Radio Monte Carlo.
Media reports state that the supporter admitted to the accusations during questioning, yet this did not prevent the decision to jail him provisionally, with the possibility of a harsher sentence if convicted. The same sources clarified that he is of Algerian origin and also holds French nationality, contradicting initial rumours that he was British.
He now faces charges including “inciting hatred at a sporting event” and publicly using offensive words and actions against a group of people, offences that can result in imprisonment under Moroccan law.
