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.
Much 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 verdict of the disciplinary jury. Believing the sanctions are too lenient given the severity of the events, the Moroccan body, which holds Senegal responsible for the chaos that marked 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 the Senegalese players and staff from the field,” “the invasion of the pitch by Senegalese supporters,” as well as “the violent clashes that followed.”
Considering the sanctions imposed are “not in line with the scale and severity of the incidents,” the FRMF specifies it has decided to appeal in order to “preserve all rights governed by the regulations.” Morocco aimed for a victory on forfeit.
🚨Statement from the Royal Moroccan Football Federation pic.twitter.com/GvYKQFbpfr
— FRMF (@FRMFOFFICIEL) December 15, 2022
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 the sanctions were lacking in firmness.
According to Abdoulaye Seydou Sow, secretary general of the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), the African vice-champions simply hoped for a reversal of the title of the Lions of Teranga, accompanied by a victory for Morocco on forfeit.
One thing is certain: this case is far from reaching its conclusion.
