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Senegal coach handed five-match ban following Afcon final turmoil
Senegal's head coach, Pape Thiaw, will miss five of his team's six qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations after the Confederation of African Football (Caf) found him guilty of unsporting conduct during the chaotic final against Morocco earlier this month.
Sanctions and fines imposed
Caf announced the penalties on Thursday, fining Thiaw $100,000 (£72,000) for actions deemed to have "brought the game into disrepute." The total fines issued after the match reached nearly £1 million, covering multiple infractions by players, officials, and supporters.
The Senegal Football Federation (FSF) was hit with a $615,000 (£444,000) penalty, half of which stemmed from the unsporting behavior of players and staff, while the remainder addressed fan misconduct. An additional $15,000 (£11,000) fine was levied for five yellow cards shown to Senegal's team during the final.
Chaos in Rabat: What unfolded
The 18 January final in Rabat descended into chaos after Morocco were awarded a stoppage-time penalty. Thiaw, furious over referee Jean-Jacques Ndala's decision to award a foul against Senegal's Ismaila Sarr just moments earlier, ordered his players to leave the field. The delay lasted approximately 17 minutes before star forward Sadio Mané persuaded his teammates to return.
Morocco's Brahim Díaz attempted a Panenka penalty, which Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy saved. Ndala blew the final whistle immediately afterward, but Senegal ultimately secured a 1-0 victory in extra time thanks to a goal from Pape Gueye.
Player bans and federation fallout
Senegal's Iliman Ndiaye and Sarr each received two-match bans for "unsporting behavior toward the referee." Morocco's Ismael Saibari was suspended for three matches and fined $100,000, while defender Achraf Hakimi received a two-match ban, with one game suspended for 12 months.
Morocco's football federation (FRMF) had appealed to overturn the result after Senegal's walk-off but saw its bid dismissed by Caf's disciplinary committee. The FRMF was also fined $200,000 (£144,000) for the "inappropriate behavior" of ball boys, who repeatedly attempted to steal Mendy's towel from behind his goal. An additional $100,000 fine was imposed after Morocco's players and staff invaded the video assistant referee (VAR) review area, disrupting Ndala's work.
Fan conduct and broader sanctions
Several Senegalese supporters clashed with security personnel following the penalty decision, with some attempting to storm the pitch. Morocco's federation was further penalized $15,000 for the use of lasers by its fans during the match.
The sanctions extended beyond the final, with Algeria's football federation (Faf) fined $100,000 last week for six breaches during their quarter-final exit to Nigeria. Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane received a two-game ban for misconduct, while defender Rafik Belghali was suspended for four matches, with two games conditionally suspended.
No impact on World Cup preparations
The bans for Thiaw and the affected players apply only to Caf competitions and will not disrupt Senegal's preparations for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
