The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has officially referred incidents involving Senegalese players and supporters during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA, the global governing body, the federation announced on Monday.
The complaint concerns events in the closing moments of Sunday night’s final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, when Senegalese players walked off the pitch in protest of a contentious penalty awarded to Morocco.
The protest forced a nearly 20-minute suspension of play at a crucial stage of the match. Senegal went on to win 1–0 in extra time.
In a statement, the FRMF said the actions of both players and supporters “had a significant impact on the normal course of the match and on the players’ performance.”
Video footage from the stadium showed some Senegalese fans throwing chairs and other objects from the opposite end of the stands and attempting to enter the field of play following the penalty decision.
The federation’s referral seeks adjudication on “the withdrawal of the Senegalese national team from the field … as well as on the events that accompanied this decision.”
It also insists that the referee’s award of a penalty to Morocco was “deemed correct by unanimous opinion of specialists.”
Despite the penalty award, Morocco failed to score from the spot. Brahim Díaz’s attempt was saved by Senegal goalkeeper Édouard Mendy, preserving a goalless scoreline at the end of normal time and sending the match into extra time.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino weighed in on the incident, condemning “some Senegal players” for what he described as “unacceptable scenes.” He reiterated the importance of respect and discipline in international football.
After the protest, both teams returned to the pitch following appeals from senior players, including Senegal star forward Sadio Mané. Play resumed and Senegal eventually scored the match’s only goal early in extra time through midfielder Pape Gueye, securing their second AFCON title.
On Monday, several Moroccan media outlets criticised Senegal’s conduct, accusing the team of lacking fair play and unsporting behaviour in one of the most controversial finals in the tournament’s recent history.
- Tinubu Awards GCON to Gilbert Chagoury - January 19, 2026
- Morocco Files Official Complaint Over Senegal Conduct in AFCON Final - January 19, 2026
- Moroccan Hearts Broken as Senegal Wins AFCON Final - January 19, 2026