FIFA President Gianni Infantino and the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) have strongly condemned the unsavoury scenes that overshadowed the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 final between Morocco and Senegal in Rabat on Sunday.
The showpiece event descended into chaos deep into injury time of regulation when several Senegalese players and members of the technical staff walked off the pitch in protest after Morocco were awarded a penalty following a VAR review for a challenge on Brahim Diaz, with the score level at 0-0.
In a strongly worded statement sent to AFP, Infantino described the actions of the players and officials as “unacceptable”, stressing that such behaviour has no place in football.
“We strongly condemn the behaviour of some supporters as well as some Senegalese players and technical staff members,” Infantino said.
“It is unacceptable to leave the field of play in this manner, and equally, violence cannot be tolerated in our sport; it is simply not right.”
The FIFA president further insisted that respect for match officials is fundamental to the integrity of the game.
“We must always respect the decisions taken by the match officials on and off the field of play,” he added.
“Teams must compete on the pitch and within the Laws of the Game, because anything less puts the very essence of football at risk.”
The match was delayed for nearly 20 minutes as security dealt with unrest in the stands, where some Senegalese fans attempted to enter the field of play and clashed with security personnel.
Senegal captain Sadio Mané remained on the pitch and appealed to his teammates to return so the game could resume.
After play restarted, Diaz’s attempted panenka penalty was saved by Edouard Mendy, before Pape Gueye struck a superb extra-time winner to seal a dramatic 1-0 victory for Senegal.
Infantino, while congratulating Morocco for hosting what he described as a “fantastic tournament” and finishing as runners-up, warned that the scenes witnessed sent the wrong message to the global football audience.
“It is the responsibility of teams and players to act responsibly and set the right example for fans in the stadiums and millions watching around the world,” he said.
“The ugly scenes witnessed today must be condemned and never repeated. They have no place in football.”
CAF, in a separate statement, also condemned the conduct during the final, confirming that it is reviewing all footage from the match and will refer the matter to the appropriate disciplinary bodies for further action.
