Algerian sports presenter Walid Al Aaqel has stirred major controversy after openly calling on JS Kabylie to withdraw from their upcoming match against Moroccan side AS FAR in continental competition.
Speaking on the “Dzair Tube” platform, he framed the proposed boycott as a way to “copy” what he described as the Senegal national team’s “model” in the recent AFCON final against Morocco, claiming it would put pressure on the Rwandan match referee.
The most striking aspect of the episode was not only the incitement to walk off the pitch, but the swift decision by “Dzair Tube” to delete the video shortly after publication. This quick backtracking reflects clear confusion and an implicit recognition of the seriousness of the inflammatory message, which went far beyond normal football debate and moved into deliberately encouraging disruption of African competitions and misleading supporters.
Observers suggest the platform’s managers realised, albeit late, that such calls do not harm Moroccan football, but instead place Algerian clubs directly in the crosshairs of CAF’s disciplinary bodies. Confederation regulations allow for severe sanctions, including multi‑year bans from African tournaments for clubs that withdraw, in addition to heavy fines and reputational damage that can haunt a team for years.
This latest outburst is part of an ongoing media campaign targeting Moroccan football, with some Algerian voices using sporting events to fuel political and regional tensions.
Commenters on the piece harshly criticized the presenter and the platform, describing the remarks as reckless and warning that normalizing such behaviour could push the region’s football scene toward chaos instead of fair competition and sporting respect.
