Morocco v Ghana friendly cancelled after players’ financial dispute

The friendly between Morocco and Ghana has been cancelled after a dispute over unpaid financial entitlements led several Ghana players to refuse to travel.

Moroccan reports said the match would no longer take place, with the decision confirmed by Henry Asante, communications director of the Ghana Football Association.

Asante said the Ghanaian federation had informed the Federation Royale Marocaine de Football that the fixture had been called off. The match had been scheduled for Sunday, as Morocco prepared to conclude the current international break.

The cancellation is understood to have followed internal problems within the Ghana squad. Several members of the Black Stars reportedly declined to make the journey to Morocco because of outstanding financial matters.

The issue has forced Morocco to look for an alternative opponent at short notice. The Federation Royale Marocaine de Football has opened rapid discussions to arrange another friendly for Mohamed Ouahbi’s team and ensure their preparations continue without interruption.

Morocco had been due to use the Ghana match as part of its preparations after making a winning return following the World Cup. The Atlas Lions defeated Gabon 2-0 before recording another 2-0 victory against Lesotho in the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Those two games were Morocco’s first appearances since the World Cup and had provided Mohamed Ouahbi’s side with a positive start to the latest phase of their preparations.

The meeting with Ghana was intended to bring the international window to a close, but the reported player dispute has now left Morocco seeking a replacement fixture. The Ghana Football Association’s confirmation means the match will not go ahead as originally planned.