AFCON trophy
Confederation of African Football (CAF) has imposed heavy sanctions on Senegal and host nation Morocco following disorder that overshadowed the TotalEnergies AFCON 2025 final in Rabat.
In a statement, CAF said its Disciplinary Board found both football federations, as well as players and officials from the two teams, guilty of breaching provisions of the CAF Disciplinary Code during and after the final.
Senegal defeated Morocco 1–0 after extra time to lift the trophy, but the historic victory was marred by protests, confrontations on the pitch and crowd unrest triggered by a controversial Video Assistant Referee (VAR) decision late in regulation time.
As part of the sanctions, Senegal head coach Pape Bouna Thiaw was handed a five-match suspension and fined 100,000 dollars for unsporting conduct and for bringing the game into disrepute.
Two Senegalese players, Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr, were also punished with two-match bans each for unsporting behaviour, while the Senegal Football Federation was fined a total of 615,000 dollars.
On the Moroccan side, defender Achraf Hakimi received a two-match suspension, with one match suspended for a year, while midfielder Ismaël Saibari was slapped with a three-match ban and a 100,000-dollar fine.
CAF further fined the Moroccan Football Federation 315,000 dollars over multiple infractions, including misconduct by ball boys, invasion of the VAR area by officials and players, and the use of laser pointers by supporters inside the stadium.
The continental body also dismissed Morocco’s formal protest, which alleged regulatory breaches by Senegal, ruling that the complaint lacked merit under AFCON regulations.
The final descended into chaos after a VAR-awarded penalty in favour of Morocco sparked heated protests and a brief walk-off by Senegalese players, forcing a stoppage that lasted nearly 20 minutes.
Play resumed after calm was restored, with Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy saving Brahim Díaz’s penalty before Pape Gueye struck in extra time to seal Senegal’s dramatic and historic triumph.
Reacting to the ugly scenes before CAF announced its sanctions, FIFA President Gianni Infantino strongly condemned the conduct of those involved.
“We strongly condemn the behaviour of some ‘supporters’ as well as some Senegalese players and technical staff members,” Infantino said.
“It is unacceptable to leave the field of play in this manner,” he added. “It is unacceptable to leave the field of play in this manner, and equally, violence cannot be tolerated in our sport; it is simply not right.”
CAF said the disciplinary measures reaffirm its zero-tolerance stance on indiscipline, stressing that respect for fair play, match officials and the integrity of the game remains non-negotiable, as it draws the curtain on a turbulent AFCON 2025 final.
