The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially sanctioned Algeria following a series of incidents that occurred after their quarter-final clash against Nigeria.
In a statement released by CAF’s Disciplinary Board, both sporting and financial penalties were imposed on the Algerian Football Federation (FAF), citing misconduct by players, officials and supporters during and after the match.
Sporting sanctions
Two Algerian players have been handed suspensions that will affect future international fixtures:
Goalkeeper Luca Zidane has been suspended for two matches, to be served during the AFCON 2027 qualifiers.
Rafik Belghali received a four-match suspension, with two matches suspended, meaning he will serve two matches immediately unless further offences are committed.
Financial penalties
CAF also imposed a series of fines on the FAF, amounting to a total of USD 100,000, broken down as follows:
USD 5,000 for improper conduct by the team, relating to the accumulation of yellow and red cards
USD 25,000 for inappropriate behaviour by players and officials
USD 5,000 for the use of flares
USD 5,000 for throwing objects
USD 10,000 for failure to respect security measures
USD 50,000 for offensive gestures directed at match officials
CAF described the offences as serious breaches of its disciplinary and safety regulations, particularly those relating to respect for referees and match security.
FAF to appeal
The Algerian Football Federation has reacted swiftly to the decision, confirming that it has lodged an immediate appeal and is contesting both the sporting and financial sanctions.
The FAF is expected to present its case before CAF’s Appeals Committee in the coming days.
The outcome of the appeal will determine whether the suspensions and fines remain in force or are reduced, as Algeria continues preparations for upcoming international competitions.
