Egypt’s 1–0 loss to Senegal in the AFCON 2025 semi-final ended in controversy, as several Pharaohs players angrily confronted Gabonese referee Pierre Atcho and his assistants after the final whistle at Ibn Battuta Stadium in Tangier.
Television footage showed Egyptian players making offensive hand gestures in the direction of the officiating crew as they left the pitch.
The Moroccan outlet Al-Botola reported that members of the Egypt squad accused Atcho and his team of having received bribes, with their frustration boiling over following the tight, high-stakes encounter. Midfielder Marwan Attia and forward Salah Mohsen appeared closest to the referees, clearly protesting decisions and gesturing heatedly, while team manager Ibrahim Hassan also tried to voice his objections.
The incident has circulated widely on social media through clips shared by local media, sparking debate over the behaviour of the players and the standard of officiating in the semi-final.
Egypt will now have to quickly regroup for the third-place playoff on Saturday against the loser of the Morocco–Nigeria semi-final, while Senegal move on to Sunday’s final to face the winner of that tie.
حركات “مسيئة” من لاعبي مصر تجاه الطاقم التحكيمي 🤔⚽️ #السنغال #مصر #كأس_أمم_أفريقيا #TotalEnergiesAFCON2025 #AFCON2025 #البطولة pic.twitter.com/CWNtmrzqMJ
— Elbotola – البطولة (@elbotola) January 14, 2026
