RABAT, Morocco — In a recent ruling, an international court dedicated to resolving disputes in soccer has determined that illustrating the contentious region of Western Sahara as part of Morocco on soccer team jerseys is in violation of regulations intended to prevent political statements.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), headquartered in Switzerland, has upheld an appeal initiated by Algeria’s soccer federation. This appeal challenged a previous decision made by the Confederation of African Football in April 2024, which had permitted a club from northern Morocco to don jerseys that depict the debated map.
Global soccer regulations explicitly state that team kits must not feature any political symbols or images. On this issue, the court remarked that “the inclusion of a map of Morocco that merges Western Sahara on RS Berkane’s team shirts is interpreted as propaganda of a political nature since it insinuates a resolution in a territorial conflict that remains unsettled to this day.”
Western Sahara is an area rich in phosphates, previously under Spanish control, roughly equivalent in size to the United Kingdom. Both Morocco and the Polisario Front — an independence-minded group based in refugee settlements within southern Algeria — lay claim to the territory. The United Nations, through a ceasefire agreement brokered in 1991, has attempted to organize a referendum to resolve the fate of the region, but persistent disagreements regarding eligible voters have hindered progress.
This territorial contention heavily influences the foreign policy of both Morocco and Algeria, the latter siding with the Polisario’s aspirations. Diplomatic ties between Algeria and Morocco were severed in 2021, leading to disputes over various issues, including sports apparel and airspace.
The soccer-related dispute started last year when Algerian officials confiscated the jerseys of the Moroccan team RS Berkane as they arrived for the initial leg of a semi-final against USM Alger. Despite attempts by Algeria to have the jerseys banned, the Confederation of African Football declined their request. RS Berkane subsequently refused alternative attire, resulting in the match being canceled. This was compounded when USM Alger declined to participate in the second leg in Morocco if the disputed jerseys were worn. The federation ultimately awarded victories to RS Berkane by default.
The case centers on soccer’s stringent rules, which specify that jerseys must remain free from any form of political imagery or statements.
As Morocco’s influence in African soccer is growing, marked by their upcoming role as co-hosts of significant tournaments like the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal, this decision carries added weight. Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Moroccan soccer federation and a notable figure in both the Confederation of African Football and FIFA, has bolstered Morocco’s position within the sport. His influence extended to the establishment of a FIFA development office for African soccer in Morocco’s capital, Rabat.
Following the ruling, USM Alger expressed gratitude towards the Algerian government and soccer federation, viewing it as “sporting justice.” RS Berkane, for their part, embraced the decision, considering it a triumph by maintaining last year’s semi-final outcomes without additional sanctions.
