Hundreds of Algerian supporters who traveled to Morocco to back their national team at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), hosted by the Kingdom, have expressed strong admiration for Morocco’s infrastructure, offering firsthand accounts that sharply contrast with narratives long promoted by Algerian media.
Algerian fans shared spontaneous testimonies praising Morocco’s stadiums, describing them as modern and well-equipped, particularly the advanced pitch technologies that enabled playing surfaces to withstand heavy rainfall without affecting match quality or the flow of competition.
Their praise extended beyond stadiums to include roads and public facilities, with many supporters voicing surprise at the ease of intercity travel, the quality of road networks, and the efficiency of public transport—especially the high-speed rail system, which significantly reduced travel times and ensured smooth mobility for fans.
Algerian supporters also highlighted the warm reception they received from Moroccans, citing welcoming attitudes inside stadiums as well as in streets, cafés, and public transport—an atmosphere they said contributed to the tournament’s success.
These on-the-ground accounts, observers note, have undermined long-running media narratives in Algeria that portrayed Morocco as beset by major problems and questioned its ability to host AFCON, with repeated claims that the country was not ready to organize the tournament.
As the competition got underway, the reality on the ground appeared to contradict those claims, with Morocco demonstrating strong organizational and logistical readiness through modern infrastructure and efficient management—earning praise from fans, players, and observers alike.
In this context, social media platforms—especially TikTok—have become a space for Algerian fans to share videos and testimonies expressing admiration for Morocco, with some going so far as to openly dispute their own media’s portrayal, underscoring a growing gap between media discourse and lived experience.
