Senegal and Morocco have been handed hefty fines by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) following the dramatic end to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
CAF Disciplinary Committee, on Thursday, announced Senegal will pay a total of $615,000 in fines with head coach Pape Thiaw slammed with a five-game ban while Morocco will pay a total of $415,000 in fine with Achraf Hakimi set to serve a ban.
CAF launched an investigation into the AFCON 2025 final that took place on January 18 in Rabat that nearly clouded a hugely successful fiesta after the game was delayed at the tail end because of a last-minute penalty to Morocco.
For Senegal, they got a fine of $300,000 for their supporters’ misbehaviour during the final after the penalty was given followed by another $300,000 for players and staff misbehaviour and $15,000 for receiving five yellow cards during the final match.
Morocco, on the other hand, were fined $200,000 for the ballboys’ misbehaviour around Edouard Mendy’s goal and towels, $100,000 for players and staff misbehaviour and $15,000 for fans’ use of lasers during the final.
In addition, PSV’s Moroccan midfielder Ismail Saibiri was fined $100,000 with a three-match ban because of his role in the Mendy’s towel incident.
In addition to Thiaw’s five-game ban, the Senegalese coach has been fined $100,000 while his players Ismaila Sarr and Iliman Ndiaye each received two-game bans.
In its conclusion, CAF Disciplinary Committee dismissed Morocco’s appeal that Senegal should be stripped of the AFCON title because they walked off the pitch when they game was still ongoing.
What really happened in AFCON 2025 finalÂ
The controversial end to the final started when Ismaila Sarr’s goal was ruled out because of a foul on Hakimi with the Senegalese insisting on a lengthy VAR review.
Moments later in the stoppage time, West Ham United defender El Hadji Malick Diouf tripped Brahim Diaz inside the penalty area during a corner-kick situation and after a lengthy VAR review, a penalty was given.
As a result of the penalty, Senegal coach Thiaw ordered his players to leave the pitch and the majority were on their way to the dressing room except for Sadio Mane who was on the pitch calling for calm.
The Teranga Lions later returned to the pitch and the game resumed with a penalty after over 20 minutes delay.
Diaz stepped up to take the penalty but he missed with Mendy clammly saving his effort to push the game into extra-time.
In the additional 30minutes, Pape Gueye’s moment of brilliance stood out as he scored the only goal in the 94th minute to seal Senegal’s second AFCON title in history.
