Man United Complain To FIFA Over Morocco Blocking Mazraoui For Bournemouth Clash

Manchester United’s chaotic 4–4 draw with Bournemouth has now spilled beyond the pitch, with reports confirming that the club formally complained to FIFA over Morocco’s refusal to release Noussair Mazraoui for the Premier League fixture.

The Red Devils believed the defender should have been eligible to play under Africa Cup of Nations release rules. However, a scheduling twist ultimately left Ruben Amorim without one of his key defensive options at a critical moment.

Under FIFA regulations, players selected for AFCON squads must be released seven days before their nation’s opening match. For AFCON 2025, that release window officially began on December 15 — the same day United faced Bournemouth after the fixture was rescheduled for Monday night due to broadcast commitments.

AFCON release rule sparks United frustration
Morocco, hosts of AFCON 2025, are set to face Comoros on December 21. Had United’s game gone ahead on its originally expected Saturday slot, Mazraoui would have been available. Instead, the Monday rescheduling pushed the match inside the mandatory release window.

United reportedly felt unfairly punished by circumstances outside their control. The club did not request the date change, yet the adjustment directly impacted squad availability. According to ESPN, this frustration prompted United to raise the matter with FIFA after Morocco rejected an initial request for flexibility.

FIFA upholds Morocco’s position
Despite United’s appeal, FIFA sided firmly with the Moroccan Football Federation. Officials pointed to the clear start date of the release period, leaving little room for interpretation. While there was internal disappointment at Old Trafford — particularly the sense that Morocco prioritised a training camp over a Premier League match — there was no criticism of Mazraoui himself.

The full-back remained professional throughout, training with United all week before departing for international duty late on Sunday evening.

His absence compounded United’s defensive crisis. Injuries to Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire had already stretched resources thin, forcing Amorim to rely on youngsters Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven. Bournemouth capitalised, pushing United into one of the most frantic matches of the season.

United took the lead three times and were still ahead late on, only to be pegged back repeatedly in a breathless contest that ended 4–4.

Contrast with other AFCON negotiations
The Mazraoui situation stood in stark contrast to United’s dealings with other African federations. Productive discussions with Cameroon and Ivory Coast allowed Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo to feature against Bournemouth before reporting for AFCON duty. Those negotiations were cited internally as examples of cooperation working to everyone’s benefit.

Amorim frustrated but focused on performance
Post-match, Ruben Amorim’s frustration was evident, though he resisted shifting blame away from the performance itself.

“It’s really disappointing. Crazy game,” he said. “It might look like we lost the two points in the second half but I think we lost them in the first half. We dominated and created so many chances. We had to go to half-time with a different result.”

Amorim felt United had shown clear improvement compared to recent home outings, even if the final result failed to reflect it.

“When you win away, you should win at home,” he added. “The result is the same — one point. It’s frustrating, but the performance is different. People want to win, but they also want to be inspired.”

As AFCON 2025 approaches, the Mazraoui case highlights the growing tension between club football and international commitments. For Manchester United, it was another reminder that timing, regulations and global tournaments can decisively shape outcomes — sometimes before a ball is even kicked.

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