CAF has imposed sweeping sanctions on Senegal and Morocco after disciplinary breaches during the 2025 AFCON final, while rejecting Morocco’s protest and officially confirming Senegal as champions.
Following a review by its Disciplinary Board, CAF declared that the Senegal and Morocco football federations, as well as several players and officials, were guilty of breaching CAF’s code on fair play, integrity, and proper conduct, actions which discredited the sport.
Senegal faced the toughest sanctions after the final, including fines and suspensions affecting players, officials, and supporters.
Head coach Pape Bouna Thiaw was suspended for five CAF matches and fined USD 100,000 for actions deemed unsporting and damaging to the game’s reputation.
Senegalese players Iliman Cheikh Baroy Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr were each banned for two matches for unsporting conduct toward the referee in the AFCON 2025 final.
CAF fined the FSF USD 300,000 for supporter misconduct and another USD 300,000 for unsporting behaviour by the team’s players and staff. An additional USD 15,000 was imposed after five yellow cards were issued to Senegal players during the match.
CAF also imposed penalties on Morocco after multiple disciplinary breaches involving players, officials, and matchday operations. Defender Achraf Hakimi received a two-match suspension, with one match deferred for a year, while midfielder Ismaël Saibari was banned for three matches and fined USD 100,000 for unsporting behaviour during the AFCON 2025 final.
The Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) was penalised USD 200,000 for inappropriate behaviour by stadium ball boys and USD 100,000 for players and technical staff obstructing the VAR review area. An additional USD 15,000 fine was imposed after reports that Moroccan supporters used laser devices during the AFCON 2025 final.
CAF dismissed Morocco’s protest against Senegal, ruling the claims that the champions abandoned the match were unfounded under AFCON rules.
“This means that CAF rejected Morocco’s appeal, which argued that Senegal should be stripped of the title for abandoning the match after walking off the pitch. Hence, Senegal have officially been declared AFCON 2025 winners,” the statement read.
The governing body emphasised that the sanctions were taken to preserve the principles of fair play, integrity, and respect for match officials, noting that misconduct in high-profile tournaments will be met with severe penalties, regardless of team stature.
CAF’s rulings end a contentious AFCON 2025, emphasizing a more stringent disciplinary strategy to safeguard African football’s reputation and legitimacy.
