Atlas Lions fans scuffles outside stadium ahead of match

This match is a big deal for the fans of Morocco.

Morocco's matches have also been testing for organisers: there was pushing and shoving outside the stadium as ticketless fans gathered ahead of its Dec. 1 defeat of Canada, with some trying to climb the fence.

More than 1,000 Moroccan fans gathered at the official ticket office on Monday night in anticipation of the match against 2010 champions Spain. The crowd swelled, and at least two scuffles and riot police were deployed, according to the Reuters journalists.

One fan said many had left empty-handed.

Some said they had come after seeing social media posts saying the Moroccan embassy and football association would distribute free tickets. The Moroccan Embassy said on Twitter that 500 tickets were handed over to Moroccans living in Qatar. The Moroccan football team's official Facebook page said that FIFA had made 5,000 extra tickets available for Morocco fans.

Moroccan newspaper Maroc Le Jour declared in front-page headlines that Atlas Lions have hopes of a whole continent.

Royal Air Maroc said on Friday it was laying on four extra flights with 270-340 fans on each.

The Moroccan consulate has asked fans to show sportsmanship regardless of the result and not do anything that could trigger incidents with Spanish fans.