At least three Algerian nationals remain in custody in Morocco after traveling to the country to support their national football team during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. The detentions stem from separate incidents that Moroccan authorities say violated public order and criminal law during or around match days.
One of the cases involves a supporter arrested in the capital after a video circulated on social media showing him making a crude threat inside a stadium during a group-stage match. Moroccan prosecutors treated the footage as a public decency offense, a charge that can carry a custodial sentence under national law. The individual was initially questioned and released but was later re-arrested as he attempted to travel to another host city for a subsequent match. Authorities cited his status as a foreign national and the risk of flight in deciding to place him in pre-trial detention while the investigation continues.
Additional cases emerged in Marrakech following a later match. Moroccan prosecutors ordered the detention of another Algerian supporter accused of deliberately tearing Moroccan banknotes inside the stadium. Under Moroccan law, damaging national currency is considered a serious offense and can result in heavy penalties. The individual was arrested in another city and transferred to Marrakech, where he was placed in a local prison.
A separate Algerian supporter is also under investigation for a similar act involving damaged currency, though public reporting has not confirmed whether that person has been jailed. In another incident, judicial police detained an Algerian national accused of stealing a communication device belonging to a security officer during the same match. Prosecutors ordered his pre-trial detention pending a court hearing scheduled later this month.
These cases unfolded against a backdrop of heightened tension surrounding the Algerian team’s presence in Morocco. Allegations, misinformation, and online provocations circulated from the team’s arrival onward, contributing to an already sensitive atmosphere. While Moroccan authorities maintain that the arrests are based strictly on criminal conduct, the detentions have drawn attention in Algeria, where some observers view the situation through a political or diplomatic lens rather than a purely legal one.
The Africa Cup of Nations is a major continental competition that draws large traveling fan bases. Host countries typically apply domestic law strictly to visiting supporters, and incidents that might be treated as disorderly conduct elsewhere can escalate into criminal cases under local legal standards.
