CAF imposes heavy sanctions on Senegal and Morocco after chaotic AFCON 2025 final
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Reading Time: 3min | Thu. 29.01.26. | 09:07
The governing body upheld the result of the match and officially confirmed Senegal as Africa’s champions, rejecting Morocco’s attempt to have the title stripped from the Teranga Lions
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed Senegal as the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) champions, dismissed Morocco’s protest, and imposed heavy sanctions on both nations following incidents that marred the final played in Morocco.
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The decision follows a detailed review by CAF’s Disciplinary Board, which found multiple violations of the CAF Disciplinary Code involving players, officials, and supporters from both teams.
In a statement released on Wednesday, 28 January, CAF said the final was surrounded by serious breaches of fair play, integrity, and respect for match officials.
The governing body upheld the result of the match and officially confirmed Senegal as Africa’s champions, rejecting Morocco’s attempt to have the title stripped from the Teranga Lions.
Senegal, however, bore the brunt of the disciplinary action. Head coach Pape Bouna Thiaw was suspended for five official CAF matches and fined $100,000 (approximately Sh12.8 million) for unsporting conduct that brought the game into disrepute.
Players Iliman Cheikh Baroy Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr were each suspended for two official CAF matches for unsporting behavior towards the referee.
The Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF) was also hit with significant financial penalties.
CAF imposed a fine of $300,000 (Sh38.6 million) for improper conduct by Senegalese supporters, which was deemed to have damaged the image of the game.
A further $300,000 (Sh38.6 million) was issued for the unsporting conduct of players and technical staff, while an additional $15,000 (Sh1.9 million) was imposed for misconduct resulting from five cautions received by Senegalese players during the final.
In total, Senegal’s federation faces fines amounting to $615,000 (Sh79.3 million), excluding individual penalties imposed on the coach, making it one of the heaviest sanctions CAF has ever handed down in the history of the competition.
Morocco was also sanctioned for a series of disciplinary breaches. Defender Achraf Hakimi was suspended for two official CAF matches, with one of the suspensions suspended for a period of one year.
Midfielder Ismaël Saibari received a three-match suspension and was fined $100,000 (Sh12.8 million) for unsporting conduct.
The Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) was fined $200,000 (Sh25.7 million) for the inappropriate behavior of stadium ball boys during the final.
CAF also imposed a $100,000 (Sh12.8 million) fine for improper conduct by Moroccan players and technical staff who invaded the VAR review area and obstructed the referee’s work.
A further $15,000 (Sh1.9 million) was issued for the use of lasers by Moroccan supporters inside the stadium, bringing the total fines against the FRMF to $315,000 (Sh40.6 million).
CAF also rejected the protest lodged by the Moroccan federation under Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON Regulations, ruling that the complaint did not warrant any alteration of the outcome.
The board concluded that the match result would stand and that Senegal would retain the title.
The ruling brings to a close a tense and closely watched post-final disciplinary process, with CAF reinforcing its authority and zero-tolerance stance on misconduct at the continent’s premier football competition.
Despite the chaos that overshadowed the final, AFCON 2025 still achieved unprecedented digital success.
The tournament generated approximately six billion views across social media platforms and 5.2 billion video views, making it the most-watched continental football competition in history.
The African diaspora played a key role in driving the tournament’s global reach, with millions of fans engaging online and producing more than 285 million interactions.
This surge in engagement transformed AFCON 2025 into a global cultural event rather than just a football tournament.
TikTok emerged as the dominant platform, with over one million fan-created videos capturing match moments, celebrations, and creative expressions inspired by the tournament.
The explosion of user-generated content helped attract younger and international audiences, setting a new benchmark for the digital reach and global influence of African football.
