Dozens of players without a club or salary.. the mercato extension scandal rocks Botola Pro

Clubs in the Botola Pro have been thrown into confusion after it emerged that the National Professional Football League's decision to extend the summer transfer window was not internationally recognised - an administrative crisis described as a "scandal".

An extension on paper only

The League, headed by Abdeslam Belkachour, had issued an official statement on September 9 extending the registration and transfer period to September 25, instead of the original deadline of the 15th of the same month. Many clubs relied on this decision to delay finalising their last deals.

FIFA closes the door on the original date

But as the night of September 15 wore on, clubs discovered that FIFA's international Transfer Matching System (TMS) had automatically closed on its originally scheduled date, with no prior coordination between the League and the international body to register the extension. The League's statement was effectively reduced to "ink on paper", with no legal weight internationally.

Belkachour's puzzling silence

Despite the scale of the crisis and its direct impact on dozens of players, League president Abdeslam Belkachour and the executive board have maintained total silence, offering no official clarification or taking responsibility for the confusion - fuelling further criticism of how the sensitive file was handled and communicated to clubs.

Dozens of players left in limbo

Dozens of players now find themselves without an official club or salary, waiting for the winter transfer window to open in roughly six months, amid fears over the impact on their families' income. Botola Pro clubs that were banking on the extra days to complete deals for foreign players are also left without a clear legal basis to proceed, after the League asked FIFA for an extension specifically for these cases without receiving a clear resolution so far.