Manchester United have expressed frustration after the Moroccan Football Association (MFA) refused their request to allow Noussair Mazraoui to feature in Monday’s 4-4 Premier League draw with Bournemouth. The decision came just six days before Morocco’s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) 2025 opener against Comoros on 21 December.

Background on Mazraoui Situation

Mazraoui, who started United’s previous two matches before facing Bournemouth, trained all week expecting to play. However, the MFA prioritized a national team training session over United’s league fixture, leaving Ruben Amorim and his squad without a key defender.

United had hoped for a similar arrangement to Cameroon’s Bryan Mbeumo and Ivory Coast’s Amad Diallo, both of whom were allowed to remain with their clubs for Monday’s match.

FIFA Release Date Rule

FIFA announced on 3 December 2025 that clubs are required to release players from 15 December onwards, rather than the previous 14-day period before the tournament. The governing body emphasized that release dates could still be negotiated bilaterally with national associations.

While United escalated the matter to FIFA, the world body did not compel Morocco to change their stance, leaving the Premier League club frustrated and feeling unfairly treated compared to the cooperative Cameroon and Ivory Coast federations.

Impact on Manchester United

With Mazraoui unavailable, and defenders Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt sidelined due to injury, Amorim had to field 19-year-old Ayden Heaven and 20-year-old Leny Yoro—the latter a recent £52.18m signing—for the Bournemouth game. This defensive reshuffle contributed to United dropping points and missing the chance to climb into fifth place in the Premier League table.

Mbeumo and Amad have since joined their national squads and will miss United’s upcoming trip to Aston Villa.

FIFA Statement and Guidance

FIFA encouraged federations and clubs to “hold bilateral discussions in good faith” to find suitable solutions. In cases of unresolved disputes, FIFA mediates by considering factors such as:

• Timing of club matches
• Stage of competitions
• Historical and planned player involvement

Despite this, Morocco maintained their position, consistent with similar situations reported by Roma and Real Betis.

Looking Ahead

United must now navigate the absence of Mazraoui and other defenders while maintaining their league campaign momentum. With the Afcon fast approaching, clubs across Europe may face further challenges negotiating player releases with African national teams.