Soccer-Morocco to skip tournament in Algeria over flights ban

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Third-Place Playoff - Croatia v Morocco - Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar - December 17, 2022 Morocco players pose for a team group photo before the match REUTERS/Peter Cziborra

RABAT (Reuters) - Morocco will not take part in a soccer tournament being held in Algeria after the Algerian government rejected its request for the team to fly there directly on Morocco's national airline, the Moroccan football federation said on Thursday.

Algeria closed its airspace to Moroccan aircraft in 2021 after it unilaterally severed diplomatic ties with its North African neighbour.