USM Alger awaits CAF decision on The Panthers withdrawal from Confederation Cup

USM Alger has confirmed that it has not received, as of the time of issuing its statement, any official notification from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) regarding the fate of the first leg of the second preliminary round of the CAF Confederation Cup, which was scheduled to take place against The Panthers from Equatorial Guinea next Tuesday.

The Algerian club has clarified that its first team is continuing its preparations normally, in anticipation of playing the match on the scheduled date, noting that the visiting team's delegation has not yet arrived in Algeria.

The management of USM Alger emphasized that they will inform the club's fans and the public of any updates as soon as they receive an official communication from the continental body, whether confirming the match will take place as scheduled or announcing a new decision regarding it.

USM Alger's stance comes after The Panthers announced their withdrawal from the African competition due to financial difficulties and limited resources, as well as not having a stadium approved by the Confederation of African Football.

The first and second leg matches between the two teams were scheduled to take place at the 5 July Stadium in the Algerian capital, after CAF approved USM Alger's request to host both matches in Algeria.

If the withdrawal is officially adopted, USM Alger will secure their qualification for the group stage without playing the two matches of the second preliminary round. However, this remains contingent on the official decision from the Confederation of African Football, as they await clarity on the final position regarding the match.