The CAF Disciplinary Board has handed down a series of heavy fines and suspensions following the chaotic conclusion of the AFCON Morocco 2025. Both finalists, Senegal and Morocco, face significant financial penalties and player absences after a final marred by “unsporting conduct” and technical area invasions.
The Fédération Sénégalaise de Football [FSF] bore the brunt of the rulings. Head coach Pape Bouna Thiaw has been slapped with a five-match suspension and a USD 100,000 [R1.56 million] fine for behaviour described by the board as bringing the game into disrepute.
The Lions of Teranga will also be without key players for their upcoming continental fixtures. Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr have both received two-match bans for their conduct toward the match officials. The FSF itself faces a combined financial penalty of USD 615,000 [R9.63 million], covering charges ranging from supporter misconduct to the squad’s general “lack of fair play and integrity.”
CAF REJECT MOROCCO’S PROTEST
While celebrating their hosting of the tournament, the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) was not spared. The board focused heavily on the chaos surrounding the VAR review area, where Moroccan staff and players reportedly obstructed officials.
2022 FIFA World Cup semi-finalists’ captain Achraf Hakimi received a two-match ban [one match suspended for a year], while Ismaël Saibari faces a three-match suspension and a USD 100,000 [R1.56 million] fine.
The FRMF was fined USD 200,000 [R3.1 million] specifically for the “inappropriate behaviour” of the stadium’s ball boys, and an additional USD 100,000 [R1.56 million] for the technical staff’s invasion of the VAR area.
A further USD 15,000 [R235 000] fine was issued for the use of lasers by Moroccan supporters during the final. In a secondary ruling, the CAF Disciplinary Board officially rejected a protest lodged by Morocco against Senegal regarding alleged regulatory violations (Articles 82 and 84). The board found no merit in the claims, effectively closing the chapter on the 2025 tournament’s legal disputes.
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