More than 50 African voting federations are being urged to show unity as a continent and back Morocco’s bid to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The North Africans are up against the joint bid between USA,Canada and Mexico, with the host nation to be chosen at the FIFA Congress in Moscow on Wednesday.

Liberia, Namibia and Zimbabwe have recently pledged their support for the North American bid, whose officials spent time last week wooing officials from Cosafa region.

But this decision has not gone down too well with some Africans, with former Senegal and Liverpool striker El-Hadji Diouf urging the continent’s leaders to “hold hands” on Wednesday when voting takes place.

Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Ahmad also asked voters to “show cohesion within our continent”, adding: “I think there is an obligation to remain within our family. But of course it is an individual choice.”

The Morocco and North American bid leaders are meeting voters from five of FIFA’s six continental bodies today, before presenting to UEFA in Moscow on Tuesday