Gambia’s preparations for their decisive 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN) play-off against Algeria have been thrown into disarray after their delegation became stranded in Mauritania due to a cascade of travel delays.
The Scorpions were held to a goalless draw in Banjul during the first leg of their qualifying tie and were set to travel to Annaba, Algeria, for the return fixture on Friday.
The match will determine which team qualifies for the tournament’s final phase, jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda from 2 to 30 August.
However, the Gambian Football Federation (GFF) revealed on Thursday that the national team had encountered an unexpected logistical obstacle en route to Algeria.
In a statement published on its official Facebook page, the GFF confirmed that the delegation had missed its connecting flight to Algiers after a series of delays during transit.
“The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) informs the public that the local national team, the Scorpions, is currently in Nouakchott, Mauritania, where it was due to leave for Algeria last night,” the statement read.
The trouble began during a scheduled stop in Dakar, Senegal, from where the team was to continue to Nouakchott.
According to the GFF, the flight operated by Mauritanian Airways, which was meant to collect the delegation in Senegal, arrived late from Guinea.
By the time the squad eventually reached Mauritania, their onward flight to Algiers had already departed.
“The Gambian delegation arrived in Dakar, Senegal, on time for their scheduled flight to Nouakchott, but the Mauritanian Airways flight, which was supposed to transport them from Senegal, arrived late from Guinea.
And by the time the team arrived in Nouakchott, their connecting flight to Algiers had already taken off,” the federation explained.
Efforts are now underway to resolve the crisis. “The GFF is doing everything possible to ensure that the team leaves Mauritania for Algeria today,” the statement continued.
“In addition, the GFF is monitoring the situation and will contact the Confederation of African Football (CAF) accordingly.”
It remains uncertain whether Gambia will reach Annaba in time for the scheduled kick-off or whether CAF might intervene to consider a postponement, given the extraordinary circumstances.
With the CHAN final phase just months away, the Scorpions’ hopes of qualification now hinge not only on their performance on the pitch but also on the outcome of a race against time.
