Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe has strongly criticised the disorder that overshadowed the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final in Morocco, insisting that such scenes must never be repeated.
The final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium was temporarily halted when Senegal players walked off the pitch for about 17 minutes in protest against a penalty awarded to hosts Morocco. The decision followed a VAR review which ruled that Brahim Diaz had been fouled by El Hadji Malick Diouf.
After discussions and intervention from senior players including Sadio Mane, Senegal returned to the field and the match resumed. Diaz attempted a panenka from the spot but his effort was saved by goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. The game eventually went into extra time, where Pape Gueye scored the only goal to hand Senegal a 1-0 victory and the continental title.
Speaking at a press briefing in Tanzania on Friday, Patrice Motsepe expressed deep disappointment over the incident.
“I was extremely disappointed with what happened at the AFCON final in Morocco. That should not happen again, and it will not happen again,” he said. “It was a blemish on a beautiful final we had.
“On the final of the AFCON, that behaviour and conduct must not happen again. It should not happen again. We will not tolerate it. We have zero tolerance, and it is none negotiable.”
“When people commit serious transgressions, there should be equally serious punishments and fines,” he added.
Following the chaotic scenes, CAF imposed sanctions on both Morocco and Senegal. Morocco’s football federation and national team player Ismael Saibari were fined a combined total of $415,000, with Saibari and a teammate also receiving match bans. One of the incidents that attracted a heavy sanction involved ball boys attempting to seize a towel belonging to Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy in an apparent effort to distract him, which resulted in a $200,000 fine for the hosts.
Senegal and their coach Pape Thiaw were also punished, with CAF fining the Senegalese federation and Thiaw a total of $715,000. Match suspensions were handed to Thiaw and two other players. The bans apply only to CAF competitions and do not affect participation in the FIFA World Cup scheduled for June, for which both Senegal and Morocco have qualified.
Morocco have announced plans to appeal the ruling, while Senegal have chosen not to challenge the sanctions.
Motsepe’s firm stance comes as Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda prepare to co host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, with CAF keen to ensure that future tournaments are remembered for footballing excellence rather than controversy.
