Morocco’s Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has confirmed it will formally appeal the sanctions imposed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) following a turbulent Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 final against Senegal.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the federation said it would challenge the disciplinary rulings “in order to preserve all rights guaranteed by the regulations”, arguing that the penalties do not appropriately reflect the scale and severity of the incidents that unfolded during the match.
Morocco had been fined a total of USD 315,000 and faced match bans for two players — including captain Achraf Hakimi and midfielder Ismael Saibari — for breaches of CAF’s disciplinary code.
The FRMF’s appeal comes after CAF rejected Morocco’s initial protest aimed at overturning the match result in favour of the host nation. “Given that the sanctions imposed by the Disciplinary Committee are disproportionate to the gravity of these events,” the federation said, Morocco’s decision to appeal reflects its commitment to safeguarding what it believes are its rights under CAF regulations.
The AFCON final, played on January 18 in Rabat, ended in controversy after Senegal’s players briefly walked off the pitch in protest at a late VAR-reviewed penalty award for Morocco. The penalty was missed, and Senegal went on to win 1–0 in extra time. During stoppages, fans temporarily invaded the pitch, and altercations involving team officials and ball boys occurred — incidents that drew fines and suspensions across both teams.
CAF’s disciplinary committee also sanctioned Senegal, imposing fines totalling USD 615,000 on the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), and suspending head coach Pape Thiaw for five matches for directing his players off the field. Two Senegalese players — Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaïla Sarr — received two-match bans for unsporting behaviour.
While Senegal has accepted the sanctions and indicated it will not pursue its own appeal, Morocco’s stance underscores ongoing tensions over how the final’s chaotic sequence was adjudicated by African football’s governing body.
