CAF announce investigation into the Senegal vs. Morocco AFCON final chaos
Following a dramatic end of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, Africa's football body CAF has announced those under investigation.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has launched a formal investigation into what it described as "unacceptable behavior" following a chaotic and controversial Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 final between hosts Morocco and Senegal on Sunday night.
Despite Senegal securing their second continental title with a 1-0 extra-time victory, the match at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium was overshadowed by a high-stakes protest that saw the Senegalese team walk off the pitch in the dying minutes of regulation time.
What happened in the Senegal vs Morocco AFCON 2025 match?
The tension, which had been simmering throughout a cagey 0-0 affair, boiled over in stoppage time. Senegal appeared to have snatched a late winner when Ismaila Sarr bundled the ball home, but Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala disallowed the goal for a foul by Abdoulaye Seck on Achraf Hakimi.
Minutes later, the situation turned from tense to historic farce. Following a VAR review, Ndala awarded Morocco a penalty for a foul on Brahim Díaz.
When play finally resumed in the 24th minute of stoppage time, Morocco’s Brahim Díaz saw his "Panenka" penalty attempt easily saved by Edouard Mendy. Senegal eventually found their winner in the 94th minute of extra time through a spectacular strike by Pape Gueye.
However, the victory has been met with mixed emotions. Morocco coach Walid Regragui labeled the walk-off "shameful," arguing that the incident damaged the global image of African football. Conversely, Senegalese coach Pape Thiaw, while apologizing for the heat of the moment, pointed to a tournament-long feeling of frustration regarding officiating and logistics.
What did Senegal's head coach do at AFCON 2025?
In an unprecedented move of defiance, Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw ordered his players to abandon the field.
The match was delayed for 17 minutes as CAF officials and security scrambled to manage the situation. While most of the squad retreated toward the tunnel, captain Sadio Mané remained on the pitch, eventually persuading his teammates to return and complete the match.
CAF responds to the Senegal vs Morocco AFCON 2025 incident
In a stern statement released Monday morning, CAF condemned the conduct of the participants and signaled that heavy sanctions are imminent.
"CAF strongly condemns any inappropriate behavior which occurs during matches, especially those targeting the refereeing team or match organizers," the statement read. "CAF is reviewing all footage and will refer the matter to competent bodies for appropriate action to be taken against those found guilty."
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