Rabat – In the wake of criticism over the AFCON 2025 final sanctions, CAF has promised to strengthen regulations and ensure stricter enforcement following the disorderly final between Senegal and hosts Morocco.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe reiterated his “disappointment” with the “unacceptable” incidents that occurred during the final and expressed the organization’s commitment to protecting the integrity and global reputation of African football.
Motsepe said he has called a meeting of the CAF Executive Committee (EXCO), outside the CAF Annual Ordinary General Assembly, to review its regulations, including the disciplinary code, to give judicial bodies the power to impose “appropriate and dissuasive” sanctions for serious violations.
He argued that over the past few years, CAF has significantly improved the quality, integrity, and independence of African referees, VAR operators, and match commissioners.
The CAF chief said the organization is “determined” to allocate additional financial and technical resources to ensure that officials are as skilled, impartial, and respected as the best in the world.
“It is very important that African referees, VAR operators and match commissioners are perceived, respected and acknowledged as being impartial, fair and world class,” Motsepe said.
The chaos that marked the AFCON final began with the Senegal coach openly protesting referee decisions and urging his players to leave the pitch, an act that disrupted the match and undermined the competition.
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That walkout triggered further disorder, as Senegalese players later stormed the field and attacked stadium staff.
Following the chaos, CAF had suspended Senegal coach Pape Thiaw for five matches and fined him $100,000 for inciting his players to leave the field. Senegal’s federation was fined $615,000, and players Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaïla Sarr received two-match suspensions each for unsportsmanlike behavior toward the referee.
Many argue that despite the seriousness of Senegal’s actions, CAF stopped short of imposing truly harsh sanctions as it rejected calls for stronger penalties or for the match result to be annulled.
Senegal has announced it will appeal the CAF sanctions, despite the disciplinary measures imposed following the walkout and on-field incidents that disrupted the final. Observers say that the team avoided the most severe possible penalties for its conduct.
Morocco, meanwhile, was fined a total of $315,000. Moroccan players Achraf Hakimi and Ismael Saibari were also suspended for their behavior after an incident involving Senegal goalkeeper Édouard Mendy. Hakimi received a two-match suspension, one of which is suspended for a year, while Saibari was banned for three matches.
