A homecoming match for Morocco against Brazil is a fitting tribute to the country that reached the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar, but it also means that Africa’s new top-ranked team will not play a competitive game again until mid-year.
The next two rounds of Africa Cup of Nations qualification at the end of March will feature 44 of the continent’s national teams but not the Moroccans, who were due to play a double header against Zimbabwe in Group K but whose opponents