In the world of African football, there have always been rumors and accusations regarding the influence of certain countries in the Confederation of African Football (CAF), with Morocco being one of the most prominent of these countries.
For years, Morocco has been considered the “hidden power” behind the federation’s decisions, especially with its hosting of several major tournaments and its prominent role in administration. However, it seems that the recent decision by the Disciplinary Committee following the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 final put an end to this myth, amidst a legislative chaos and allowing each team to withdraw if they were dissatisfied with the result and officiating.
Background of the Event: Chaos in the Final between Morocco and Senegal
The final of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025, held in Morocco, witnessed an exciting confrontation between the Moroccan and Senegalese teams, which ended with Senegal winning the title.
However, the victory was not smooth; a significant chaos erupted during the match following a refereeing decision that awarded a penalty to Morocco. Senegalese players protested vehemently, leading some to temporarily withdraw from the field for nearly 20 minutes, resulting in a stoppage of the match and sparking anger among fans and officials.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) filed an official complaint with CAF, demanding the cancellation of Senegal’s victory and considering the temporary withdrawal as a concession to the match, citing articles in the tournament regulations related to withdrawal and unsportsmanlike conduct.
Morocco also announced its intention to resort to FIFA if necessary. For its part, Senegal defended the actions of its players, considering it an “emotional protest” resulting from a refereeing error, with Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko describing the incident as “unfortunate” but not “political or cultural.”
Decision of the Disciplinary Committee: Rejection of the Complaint and Imposition of Meager Penalties
After quick hearings, the CAF Disciplinary Committee issued its decision on January 29, 2026, completely rejecting Morocco’s complaint, affirming that the Senegalese withdrawal was not sufficient to annul the result according to articles 82 and 84 of the Africa Cup of Nations regulations.
Thus, Senegal officially remained the champion of the continent. However, the committee did not ignore the violations, imposing financial and sporting penalties on both parties:
- On Senegal: a fine of $615,000 on the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), in addition to a five-match suspension for coach Pape Thiaw in CAF with an additional fine of $100,000, and a two-match suspension for players Ismaila Sarr and Elimane Cisse.
- On Morocco: a fine of $315,000 on the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), with a two-match suspension for player Achraf Hakimi (one suspended for a year), and a three-match suspension for Ismail Sabiri with a fine of $100,000, in addition to a $200,000 fine for the ball boys due to their behavior during the chaos.
End of the Moroccan Control Myth
These penalties demonstrated a lack of bias against Morocco, despite being the host country and a state of influence according to the claims of “African brothers.”
Morocco has long been accused of “controlling” CAF, especially since the election of Fouzi Lekjaa as president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, who is considered a close ally of CAF President Patrice Motsepe. Morocco’s hosting of major tournaments such as the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 was seen as evidence of this alleged influence, alongside prior decisions deemed “favorable” to Morocco in disputes such as the Western Sahara issue.
Legislation of Withdrawal
One of the most controversial points in the decision is the leniency of the penalties on Senegal, despite the temporary withdrawal leading to the stoppage of the match. While significant financial fines were imposed, the lack of annulment of the victory or the imposition of harsher penalties such as disqualifying Senegal from future tournaments raises questions regarding the “legislation” of such actions.
In football, withdrawing from the field is considered a serious violation of the spirit of the game according to FIFA and CAF regulations. However, if penalties are limited to financial fines and short suspensions, this may encourage teams to withdraw if they disagree with refereeing decisions, especially in crucial matches. This opens the door to “indirect legislation” of violent protests, threatening the integrity and safety of matches.
Some experts are calling for amendments to the regulations to impose stricter penalties, such as automatically losing the match or disqualification from tournaments, to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
