Argentina v Burkina Faso friendly in doubt as African side remain stranded in Morocco

Argentina’s friendly against Burkina Faso on Saturday is in doubt after the visiting team was delayed in reaching Buenos Aires.

The Burkina Faso delegation was due to arrive in the Argentine capital on 30 September but was still stranded in Casablanca as late as 15:00 on Friday, with no confirmed departure time.

The Burkina Faso Football Federation (FBF) blamed the disruption on the “unexpected cancellation by the airline of the scheduled flight”, saying it had been forced to reorganise the team’s travel arrangements.

However, reports in Argentina suggest the problem is not solely a logistical one.

According to Argentine newspaper Ole, the players have rejected the prospect of travelling on a long commercial flight. They are instead insisting that a private chartered aircraft be arranged, as Mauritania did in March.

The players are also seeking an additional payment for appearing in the fixture against the world champions. Sources from Africa told Ole that the agreement with the organising company covers travel and accommodation, but does not include a bonus for playing the match.

That issue has prompted direct involvement from the Burkina Faso government. The federation said Sports Minister Annie Watara, its president Oumar Sawadogo and the country’s ambassador to Morocco, Mamadou Coulibaly, were personally working to resolve the situation.

The Argentine Football Association is monitoring developments closely. It expects Burkina Faso, ranked 62nd in the world, to arrive on Saturday afternoon and play the match as scheduled.

The delegation is expected to leave Casablanca on Friday night, although the precise arrangements had not been confirmed by 15:00 on Friday.

The friendly has therefore entered a period of uncertainty less than a day before kick-off, with the two sides still waiting for the travel dispute to be settled.