Raja Casablanca await crucial Appeals Committee decision before derby clash

Raja Casablanca are set for an important meeting with the Appeals Committee on Thursday as the club continues efforts to reduce the supporter ban imposed ahead of the highly anticipated Casablanca derby against Wydad AC.

According to local reports, the Appeals Committee rejected Raja’s request for an urgent review of the punishment and decided to maintain the hearing on its originally scheduled date.

The Green Eagles are appealing a three-match stadium ban imposed by the Disciplinary Committee and had hoped for a quicker decision in order to begin ticket sales for Saturday’s derby fixture in the 20th round of the Moroccan Professional League.

Reports indicate that Raja submitted their appeal last Monday in an attempt to gain enough time to organise ticket distribution at least three days before the match. However, the delay in the process has complicated those plans significantly.

Even if the Appeals Committee reduces the punishment from three matches to one, the timing of the decision could still make it impossible for the club to properly organise fan attendance for the derby.

As a result, the highly anticipated encounter between Raja and Wydad is increasingly expected to be played behind closed doors.

The potential absence of supporters would represent a major financial setback for Raja Casablanca, with reports suggesting the club could lose around 300 million in expected matchday revenue due to the massive attendance usually associated with the Casablanca derby.