The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) Disciplinary Board has announced a series of sanctions against the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF), the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF), as well as several players and officials, following incidents during the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 final.
In a statement published on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, CAF said the sanctions were imposed for violations of the CAF Disciplinary Code committed during the final match.
Sanctions Against Senegal
The CAF Disciplinary Board suspended Senegal head coach Pape Bouna Thiaw for five official CAF matches for unsporting conduct, violations of the principles of fair play and integrity, and for bringing the game into disrepute. He was also fined $100,000.
Senegalese international Iliman Cheikh Baroy Ndiaye was handed a two-match suspension for unsporting behaviour toward the referee. His teammate Ismaïla Sarr received an identical two-match suspension for the same offence.
At federation level, the FSF was fined $300,000 for the improper conduct of its supporters, which CAF said damaged the image of football. An additional $300,000 fine was imposed for the unsporting conduct of Senegal’s players and technical staff, in violation of the principles of fair play, loyalty, and integrity.
The FSF was also fined $15,000 after five players from the national team received cautions during the match.
Sanctions Against Morocco
On the Moroccan side, national team captain Achraf Hakimi was suspended for two official CAF matches, with one match suspended for a probationary period of one year starting from the date of the decision, due to unsporting behaviour.
Midfielder Ismaël Saibari was suspended for three official CAF matches and fined $100,000 for unsporting conduct.
The CAF Disciplinary Board also fined the FRMF $200,000 for inappropriate behaviour by ball boys during the final. A further $100,000 fine was imposed for the conduct of Moroccan players and members of the technical staff, who entered the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review area and obstructed the referee’s work, in violation of Articles 82 and 83 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.
Additionally, the FRMF was fined $15,000 for the use of laser pointers by its supporters during the match.
Rejection of Moroccan Protest
CAF also confirmed that it rejected the protest lodged by the FRMF against the FSF, which alleged violations of Articles 82 and 84 of the Africa Cup of Nations Regulations in relation to the final.
The disciplinary rulings bring to a close CAF’s proceedings related to the AFCON 2025 final, which was played in Morocco.
The sanctions have stirred controversy in both Morocco and Senegal, prompting strong reactions from fans, analysts, and media outlets in the two countries. In Morocco, criticism focused on the suspensions and financial penalties imposed on the FRMF and key national team players, with many questioning the proportionality of the measures.
In Senegal, reactions centered on the scale of the fines and the suspensions handed to the coaching staff and players, with commentators arguing that the disciplinary rulings were excessively harsh. The divergent responses have reignited debate over CAF’s disciplinary standards and the consistency of its decision-making.
