Was Morocco vs. UAE game canceled because of Qatar ?

The United Arab Emirates Football Association (UAEFA) canceled a friendly set for the 10th of October against Morocco, according to Inside World Football. Accordingly, an alleged political decision was behind pressuring Morocco to support the Emirates in the crisis of the Gulf.

The United Arab Emirates said the game was canceled while the country sought a replacement for the national team manager, Edgardo Bauza, who left to manage the Saudi team for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The United Arab Emirates missed the qualification.

The suspicion that football uses to exert gentle political pressure on Morocco is reinforced following the cancellation in July of the third Morocco-UAE Friendship Cup which is played between the winners of the leagues of the two countries.

Disputes in other countries have increased in relation to Qatar's interaction, particularly with regard to the media rights charges of the Qatari broadcaster BEIN Sport, which say that the interference of a Saudi official during an AFC World Cup qualification in the country prevented them from exercising their rights as agreed contractually.

Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain did not participate in the Gulf Cup organized in Qatar at the end of this year.