The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed disciplinary proceedings against Senegal following their dramatic AFCON victory.
The Lions of Teranga staged a controversial walk-off protesting a late penalty for Morocco, delaying the conclusion of the final by 14 minutes. Despite returning to win, the governing body and FIFA president Gianni Infantino have condemned the “unacceptable” scenes in Rabat.
The celebrations for Senegal’s second Africa Cup of Nations title in four years have been immediately dampened by the confirmation of disciplinary action from the continent’s governing body. The CAF has officially opened proceedings against the newly crowned champions following extraordinary scenes in Rabat, where the Senegal team, led by head coach Pape Thiaw, walked off the pitch in protest during the dying moments of normal time.
While the Lions of Teranga ultimately lifted the trophy, their conduct has drawn sharp rebuke. In a statement released shortly after the final, CAF made it clear that the result of the match does not exempt the victors from scrutiny regarding their adherence to the laws of the game. The body is currently reviewing comprehensive video footage of the incident to identify the specific individuals responsible for the stoppage, which threatened to cause the abandonment of the tournament’s showpiece event.
“The Confederation Africaine de Football (‘CAF’) condemns the unacceptable behaviour of some players and officials during the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 Final between Morocco and Senegal in Rabat last night,” the statement read. It went on to emphasize that any actions targeting match officials or organisers would be treated with severity, promising to refer the matter to “competent bodies for appropriate action to be taken against those found guilty.”
