CAF Sanctions Senegal and Morocco after Chaotic AFCON 2025 Final
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has sanctioned both Senegal and Morocco following a series of incidents that marred the AFCON 2025 final, while officially confirming Senegal as champions of the tournament.
In a statement on disciplinary decisions released on Thursday, January 29, 2026, CAF fined Senegal a total of $615,000. The amount includes $300,000 for supporters’ misconduct, $300,000 for misconduct by players and officials, and $15,000 for the accumulation of five yellow cards during the final.
Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw was handed a five-match suspension from official CAF competitions and fined $100,000 for conduct deemed to have brought the game into disrepute.
Additionally, Senegal players Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr were each suspended for two CAF matches for unsporting behaviour towards the referee.
Host nation Morocco was also sanctioned, receiving total fines amounting to $415,000. The penalties include $200,000 for misconduct by stadium ball boys, $100,000 for misbehaviour by players and officials, and $15,000 for supporters’ use of laser pointers during the final.
Moroccan midfielder Ismail Saibari was fined $100,000 and suspended for three CAF matches, while team captain Achraf Hakimi received a two-match ban.
On the outcome of the match, CAF rejected Morocco’s appeal, which sought to have Senegal stripped of the title after the Senegalese team briefly walked off the pitch in protest. CAF ruled that the appeal lacked merit.
As a result, Senegal has officially been declared AFCON 2025 champions, bringing the tournament to a close amid firm disciplinary action by Africa’s football governing body.
The final descended into chaos in the dying moments of normal time when Morocco were awarded a late penalty following a tussle in the box involving Real Madrid midfielder Brahim Díaz.
After a prolonged VAR review, referee Jean-Jacques Ndala pointed to the spot, a decision that triggered furious reactions from Senegal’s players and technical team.
Incensed by the call, head coach Pape Thiaw ordered his players off the pitch in protest. It took Senegal captain Sadio Mané to appeal to his teammates as they headed towards the tunnel, with some hesitating before eventually following him off. Mané later sprinted down the tunnel as tensions continued to escalate.
The controversial scenes ultimately prompted CAF’s decisive intervention, closing the tournament with sanctions aimed at preserving discipline and the integrity of the game.
