The Royal Moroccan Football Federation has announced it will file formal complaints with FIFA and the Confederation of African Football following the chaotic scenes that overshadowed the Africa Cup of Nations final against Senegal in Rabat. In a statement released on Monday, the federation said it would pursue legal action over Senegal’s decision to walk off the pitch after a late penalty was awarded to Morocco, arguing that the incident disrupted the normal flow of the match and affected the players’ performance.
The federation said on its website that the withdrawal was “accompanied by incidents” after the referee pointed to the spot and that these events “disrupted the normal course of the match and the performance of the players.” In its full statement, the FRMF said: “The Royal Moroccan Football Federation announces that it will pursue legal action with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA regarding the Senegalese national team’s withdrawal from the final match against Morocco and the subsequent events following the referee’s decision to award a penalty kick, a decision deemed correct by all experts. This significantly impacted the normal flow of the match and the players’ performance. Furthermore, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation extends its sincere gratitude to all Moroccan fans who remained loyal to the national team through their massive attendance and exemplary support in all of the national team’s matches and other tournaments. The Federation also thanks everyone who contributed to the success of this continental championship.”
Senegal coach Pape Thiaw now faces the prospect of severe sanctions for leading his players off the field when Morocco were awarded a stoppage time penalty, an action that caused the match to be halted for nearly 15 minutes. It remains unclear whether any potential ban would apply only to African competitions or extend to FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup in North America, where Senegal are scheduled to face France on June 16 at MetLife Stadium near New York and Norway six days later.
Tensions had already been high after Senegal believed they had scored a title winning goal early in stoppage time of a 0-0 draw, only for it to be ruled out for a foul. Minutes later, Morocco were awarded a penalty following a video review that judged Brahim Díaz had been pulled down by a Senegal defender during a corner. The decision deepened the sense of injustice among Senegal’s players and supporters, who felt Morocco were benefiting from favourable calls at a tournament that also served as a showcase ahead of the country co hosting the 2030 World Cup.
Thiaw then encouraged his players to leave the pitch to prevent Díaz from taking the penalty that could decide the title. Senegal supporters clashed with police at the other end of the stadium, with some jumping over barricades into photographers’ areas behind one of the goals, throwing chairs onto the field and fighting with stewards before police moved in to restore order.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino condemned both the walkout and the violence. “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,” Infantino wrote. He added: “We must always respect the decisions taken by the match officials on and off the field of play. Teams must compete on the pitch and within the Laws of the Game, because anything less puts the very essence of football at risk.” He later also said: “It is also the responsibility of teams and players to act responsibly and set the right example for fans in the stadiums and millions watching around the world.”
Morocco coach Walid Regragui described the scenes as a “shameful” image of African football for the world to witness. When the players eventually returned, Díaz took the penalty in the 24th minute of stoppage time, producing a weak Panenka style chip that was easily saved by Senegal goalkeeper Édouard Mendy. The match went into extra time, where Senegal struck four minutes in through a powerful shot by Pape Gueye to secure the title.
Infantino later congratulated Senegal, writing: “My best wishes as well to Abdoulaye Fall, president of the Senegalese Football Association, and to everyone involved in this success.”
The Moroccan federation said it would “resort to legal procedures with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA)” and ask them to “rule on the withdrawal of the Senegalese national team from the field during the final against the Moroccan national team, as well as on the events that accompanied this decision, following the referee’s announcement of a penalty deemed correct by all the experts.”
