Cancellation of the Friendly Match
Morocco has officially canceled the international friendly match scheduled against El Salvador on June 3rd in Maryland, United States. This announcement was confirmed by Yamil Bukele, the president of the Salvadoran Football Federation, who shared the news via his social media platforms. In his post, he included the official statement from the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), which outlined the reasons for the cancellation.
The letter indicated that Morocco would not be able to field a significant portion of its squad due to various factors. These include the outcomes of recent continental club competitions in both Asia and Europe, with finals set to take place during the week starting May 25, potentially involving clubs that feature Moroccan international players. Additionally, changes in the schedule for national competitions in Morocco and Saudi Arabia, coupled with injuries to key players, contributed to this decision.
Alternate Arrangements for El Salvador
Given this situation, the African federation deemed it impractical to make the trip to the United States under competitive conditions, stating that it would be illogical to travel with a depleted squad just days before the commencement of the World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Morocco proposed to reschedule the friendly match to June 2nd on their home turf, offering to cover all logistical expenses. However, this proposal was declined by the Salvadoran Football Federation. Bukele explained that this decision was influenced by regulatory restrictions and sports planning; FIFA does not allow friendly matches to be held on different continents on the same date, and the coaching staff led by Hernán Darío Gómez already had their schedule set with two commitments in the United States.
Following the cancellation, Bukele confirmed that El Salvador has secured a new opponent for the FIFA date. The Salvadoran national team will now face Qatar on June 6th at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California. Reports indicate that this match will not be televised at the request of Qatari authorities.
As reported by diez.hn.
