Public debate has intensified in Morocco over hospitality toward visiting football fans following chaotic scenes during a CAF Confederation Cup semifinal match on Sunday.
Olympic Safi goalkeeper Youssef El Motie criticized what he described as excessive leniency, saying, “Stop being the country of tea, dates and milk,” after the match was disrupted by visiting supporters.
The comments came after supporters of USM Alger stormed the pitch at Olympic Safi’s Al Massira Stadium in Safi, throwing seats and lighting flares. Kickoff was delayed by nearly 90 minutes due to the disturbances.
Organizers had reportedly arranged free transport for visiting fans from Casablanca and provided traditional hospitality upon arrival, according to local accounts.
El Motie contrasted the incident with his team’s experience in Algeria during the first leg, claiming players had their passports confiscated at the airport and were left waiting on the floor without formal reception.
“What happened to us during the Africa Cup final is repeating itself today. Moroccans need to wake up,” he said.
The match has reignited broader discussions in Morocco about security, crowd control and hospitality standards during international fixtures.
During the Africa Cup of Nations hosted in Morocco earlier in 2025, similar debates emerged online about the country’s treatment of visiting supporters. Some incidents went viral, including images of fans being offered tea and sweets outside stadiums, which some users praised as generosity and others criticized as excessive.
Algerian supporters, in particular, had widely praised their reception during the tournament, though some controversies also surfaced, including reports of disciplinary incidents involving visiting fans and online disputes over media conduct and symbolic gestures by delegations.
Following the Safi match, Moroccan social media platforms were filled with reactions calling for stricter reciprocity in treatment of visiting teams and supporters.
“How long are we going to keep going like this? Have some dignity, Morocco,” one user wrote on X, reflecting growing frustration among some fans.
Others criticized what they described as unchecked hospitality. “This ‘brotherhood’ policy, this generosity and limitless hospitality, is becoming humiliating and undignified,” another post said.
The debate highlights a broader tension between Morocco’s tradition of hospitality and rising concerns among some supporters about security, fairness and respect in international sporting events.
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