CAF Hands Heavy Sanctions After AFCON 2025 Final Chaos
- CAF has come down hard on Senegal and Morocco following ugly scenes during the AFCON 2025 final, issuing suspensions and fines worth hundreds of thousands of dollars after disciplinary breaches in the showpiece match.
The Confédération Africaine de Football has imposed sweeping sanctions on both Senegal and Morocco following serious disciplinary breaches during the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 final.
In a strongly worded decision, the CAF Disciplinary Board ruled that the conduct of players, officials and supporters from both nations violated key principles of fair play, integrity and respect for the game, bringing African football into disrepute on its biggest stage.
Senegal were hit the hardest. Head coach Pape Bouna Thiaw was suspended for five CAF matches for unsporting conduct, with CAF citing behaviour that undermined the integrity of the competition. He was also fined USD 100,000. On the pitch, Iliman Cheikh Baroy Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr were each suspended for two CAF matches after directing unsporting behaviour towards the referee.
The Senegalese federation was also handed multiple financial penalties. CAF fined the FSF USD 300,000 for the improper conduct of its supporters, another USD 300,000 for the unsporting behaviour of players and technical staff, and an additional USD 15,000 after five Senegal players were cautioned during the match. The total financial hit for Senegal runs into hundreds of thousands of dollars, underlining CAF’s zero tolerance stance.
Morocco were not spared either. Star defender Achraf Hakimi received a two match suspension, although one of those matches has been suspended for a year, while Ismael Saibari was handed a three match ban and fined USD 100,000 for his conduct. CAF also fined the Moroccan federation USD 200,000 for the inappropriate behaviour of ball boys during the final.
Further sanctions followed after Moroccan players and technical staff were found to have invaded the VAR review area and obstructed the referee. That incident alone resulted in a USD 100,000 fine, while the use of lasers by Moroccan supporters earned the federation an additional USD 15,000 penalty.
CAF also dismissed a formal protest lodged by the Moroccan federation, which had accused Senegal of breaching Articles 82 and 84 of the Africa Cup of Nations regulations. The disciplinary board rejected the complaint in full, bringing an end to all post final legal proceedings.
The ruling sends a clear message from CAF. Even on the grandest stage, discipline, respect and sporting integrity remain non negotiable. With AFCON 2025 now firmly in the history books, both Senegal and Morocco will feel the consequences of a final that spilled far beyond football.
