Just days after the electrifying final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, Senegal faced a new challenge, this time off the pitch. On Tuesday, the Lions of Teranga appeared before the disciplinary committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to address the incidents that occurred during the final match against Morocco.
At the center of the issue is national coach Pape Thiaw, along with several Senegalese players, who are being scrutinized after the team left the pitch at the end of the match. This decision came after a highly controversial penalty was awarded to Morocco, sparking outrage in the Senegalese camp. After a long interruption and an extremely tense atmosphere, the match resumed and ended with a Moroccan victory (1-0) after extra time.
This final will go down as one of the most tumultuous in recent AFCON history. In addition to the refereeing controversy, numerous incidents were reported: altercations between players on the field, heated exchanges on the sidelines, tensions in the stands, attempts to invade the pitch, and even property damage in certain areas of the stadium. All these factors led CAF to open a particularly sensitive disciplinary case.
The president of the Senegalese Football Federation, Abdoulaye Fall, is closely monitoring this situation. He did not hesitate to speak out against what he sees as excessive influence from Morocco within the governing bodies of African football, a statement that has further heightened tensions surrounding this issue.
According to several sources, including the French daily L’Équipe, the sanctions being considered by the disciplinary committee would primarily target Pape Thiaw and some players involved in the incidents. However, these measures are expected to be limited to African competitions and should not affect Senegal’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup. The committee, made up of representatives from several federations across the continent, bases its decision on various official reports, including those from the referee and security officials.
Meanwhile, FIFA has already expressed strong condemnation of these behaviors, reminding everyone that such actions are incompatible with the values of football. The global body also clarified that any sanctions should remain within the African context, although an extension to the international level remains theoretically possible.
