CAF has fined the Moroccan Football Federation USD 200,000 following incidents involving ball boys during the Africa Cup of Nations final, scenes that contributed to a chaotic climax to the tournament in Rabat and drew widespread attention away from the football itself.
The sanction was imposed by CAF’s Disciplinary Board after it ruled that the conduct of stadium ball boys during the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 Final breached the CAF Disciplinary Code.
The fine was directed at the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF), which CAF said bore responsibility for the incidents that unfolded during the match.
The final, played at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, was already marked by tension and controversy, but further disorder emerged around repeated interference with Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy’s towel during stoppages in play.
Senegal’s reserve goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf, who did not feature on the pitch, unexpectedly became a central figure in the unfolding drama.
The 26-year-old spent much of the match guarding Mendy’s towel, a task that proved vital amid torrential conditions that required the Senegal number one to repeatedly dry his gloves.
That routine, however, was repeatedly disrupted as Moroccan ball boys and flag bearers were seen attempting to remove or discard the towel whenever play stopped. Similar behaviour had also been observed earlier in the tournament during Morocco’s semi-final victory over Nigeria.
Diouf remained stationed close to the touchline throughout the 120 minutes, retrieving the towel time and again.
At one point, video footage showed the Senegal goalkeeper being tackled to the ground by three ball boys and dragged along the turf. Other clips showed him running away from the touchline in an effort to prevent further interference.
Footage later in the match also appeared to show Morocco captain Acharf Hakimi tossing one of Senegal’s towels over an advertising board, further escalating tensions in a final already teetering on the edge.
Following Senegal’s victory, Diouf addressed the incident with humour. Posting a photograph of his winners’ medal alongside the now-iconic towel on Instagram, and accompanied by a love-struck emoji and a crying-laughing emoji, he wrote: “There it is – the medal and the towel.”
CAF investigated the matter during a meeting of its Disciplinary Board on Wednesday and subsequently handed down the heavy fine, citing the conduct of the ball boys during the final.
In its ruling, the board stated: “To fine the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) USD 200,000, for the inappropriate behaviour of the stadium’s ball boys during the aforementioned match.”
The controversial scenes unfolded during a final that was dramatic both on and off the pitch. Senegal ultimately secured the title when Pape Gueye scored a stunning individual goal in the fourth minute of extra time.
However, that decisive moment came after Senegal, acting on instructions from head coach Pape Thiaw, temporarily refused to continue the match.
Thiaw was left furious in second-half stoppage time after referee Jean Jacques Ndala ruled out a Senegal goal before awarding Morocco a penalty in the 98th minute.
Former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane remained on the pitch despite his team’s protests and played a crucial role in persuading his team-mates to return after a delay of 17 minutes.
When play resumed, Morocco were handed a chance to seize the title, but Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz, the tournament’s top scorer with five goals, missed the penalty with a Panenka attempt.
CAF’s disciplinary decision brings a formal conclusion to one of the most turbulent finals in Africa Cup of Nations history.
