Algeria's national futsal team lost 4-0 to Morocco in their opening match of the 2026 Africa Futsal Cup of Nations. The defeat came on Monday, 12 October 2026, in the first round of the group stage of the tournament hosted by Morocco.
Moroccan players Younes M'karsi and Youssef Jawad scored the goals, with Jawad completing a hat-trick. The result gave Morocco their first three points of the tournament, leaving Algeria with none from their first outing.
Limited media coverage
Algeria's state news agency did not publish a report on the defeat until more than half a day after the match concluded. Most Algerian news websites also omitted coverage of the loss, a pattern observed when the Moroccan team wins in encounters between the neighbours.
The agency's last report before the match had focused on the team's preparations. The Algerian team will face Libya in their second group match on 14 October, a key fixture for keeping their qualification hopes alive.
The senior Algerian football team's fixtures include a friendly against Togo next November. The main national side recently secured a 2-1 win over Niger on 6 October, with goals from Mohamed Belloumi and Ramy Bensebaini.
The 2026 Africa Futsal Cup of Nations features eight national teams split into two groups, with the top two from each advancing to the knockout rounds.
This story first appeared at almashhad.com
