Pyramids–FAR Affair: Moroccan club appeals to CAF after fans excluded from Champions League first leg

EDITOR NOTE: This article is translated from the original written in French by Omar Chraibi for Pan-Africa Football.

Tensions are rising between AS FAR and Pyramids FC. Following the heavy 4-1 defeat in Cairo in the first leg of their CAF Champions League quarterfinal, the Moroccan club announced it had filed an official complaint with the Confederation of African Football (CAF), denouncing "unacceptable practices" on the part of its Egyptian opponent, including the unjustified exclusion of a large number of its fans from the June 30 Stadium.

In a statement released Monday, April 1st, the AS FAR administration explained that it had followed all necessary procedures to guarantee its fans access to their statutory quota of seats, in accordance with CAF regulations. These stipulate the allocation of 5% of the stadium's capacity to the visiting club, which represents approximately 1,500 tickets in the case of the match played in Cairo.

However, according to the press release, the Pyramids club initially allocated only 100 tickets to Moroccan supporters, a decision that the AS FAR delegation learned with astonishment during the technical meeting held on March 31, the day before the match.

A unilateral decision despite CAF injunctions

Faced with this situation it deemed "illegal," AS FAR immediately contacted CAF which, according to the Moroccan club, issued a formal warning to the Egyptian club ordering it to comply with the regulations by providing additional tickets. However, the Cairo club reportedly only partially complied with this injunction, adding only 100 additional tickets, leaving hundreds of Moroccan fans at the stadium gates in conditions described as "deplorable."

AS FAR denounces this disgraceful treatment and "a serious violation of the principles of fair play and respect for fans," particularly at this late stage of the competition. The club reiterates that restricting access to opposing fans not only undermines sporting fairness, but can also create a climate of tension and frustration, conducive to unrest that can be avoided through rigorous enforcement of the rules in force.

A strong signal sent to CAF

In its conclusion, the Moroccan club affirmed that it will not give up on defending the rights of its supporters, emphasizing that "football is a popular celebration, and that all audiences must be able to cheer on their team in a fair and safe environment."

This latest episode tarnishes the image of this confrontation between two clubs, serious contenders for the continental crown. On the sporting front, the Moroccans will have to try to turn things around in the return match, scheduled for Tuesday, April 8th at the Stade d'Honneur in Meknes, in what promises to be a heated atmosphere.