A week after the announcement of sanctions from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) related to the incidents during the 2025 AFCON final, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has finally broken its silence.
Highly anticipated by its supporters, the official reaction came this Tuesday via a statement. Unlike the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), which chose not to appeal the decisions made against it, the FRMF has decided to contest the disciplinary jury’s verdict.
Believing that the sanctions are too lenient given the severity of the events, the Moroccan body, which holds Senegal responsible for the chaos that marred the final, announced its intention to file an appeal.
In its statement, the FRMF explains it “takes note of the decisions of the CAF Disciplinary Jury” regarding the incidents of January 18, 2026, mentioning “the removal of players and staff members of the Senegalese team from the playing area,” “the invasion of the pitch by Senegalese supporters,” and “the violent clashes that followed.”
Considering that the sanctions imposed are “not in line with the scale and severity of the incidents,” the FRMF specifies that it has decided to appeal in order to “preserve all rights governed by the regulations.”
Morocco aimed for a victory on the field.
Through this move, the FRMF aligns itself with the stance of some influential voices in African football, like Raymond Hack, former president of the CAF disciplinary jury, and Patrice Motsepe, president of the continental body, who reportedly felt that the sanctions were not strict enough.
According to Abdoulaye Seydou Sow, secretary general of the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), the vice-champions of Africa simply hoped for the title of the Lions of Teranga to be stripped, accompanied by a victory for Morocco on the field.
One thing is certain: this case is far from reaching its conclusion.
