Morocco v Ghana friendly cancelled amid Black Stars pay dispute

The friendly between Morocco and Ghana has been cancelled after a dispute over unpaid financial entitlements led some Ghana players to refuse to travel.

The decision was confirmed by Henry Asante, director of communications at the Ghana Football Association, according to Moroccan news outlet Hesport. Asante said the Ghanaian federation had informed the Royal Moroccan Football Federation that the match would not go ahead.

The cancellation was reportedly linked to internal problems within Ghana’s squad, with players from the Black Stars protesting over outstanding payments. Several members of the team subsequently declined to make the journey to Morocco.

Morocco’s football federation has begun making urgent arrangements to secure another friendly for coach Mohamed Wahbi’s side, avoiding a disruption to their preparations during the current international break.

The planned fixture against Ghana was due to be Morocco’s final match of the window, with the game scheduled for next Sunday.

Morocco had been preparing for the friendly after making a winning return following the World Cup. The Atlas Lions defeated Gabon 2-0 and then recorded another 2-0 victory over Lesotho in the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.