FIFA President Gianni Infantino has issued a stern condemnation of the conduct displayed by segments of the Senegalese national team and their supporters during the tumultuous Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco. The championship match, held at Rabat’s Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, was dramatically overshadowed by a mass walk-off from the pitch by Senegalese players in protest of a contentious refereeing decision.
The incident erupted deep into injury time of a goalless regulation match when the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system prompted the awarding of a penalty to Morocco following a challenge on Brahim Diaz. This decision incited fury among the Senegalese camp, which had been aggrieved minutes earlier by the disallowance of a goal for a perceived soft foul. The ensuing chaos saw most Senegalese players exit the field while, simultaneously, clashes broke out in the stands between a group of Senegalese fans and Moroccan security personnel, resulting in damaged stadium seating.
The match was suspended for nearly twenty minutes before order was restored. Upon the players’ return, orchestrated largely by team captain Sadio Mane who remained on the pitch to mediate, Diaz’s weakly executed ‘Panenka’ penalty was comfortably saved by goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. The deadlock was finally broken in extra time by Pape Gueye’s decisive goal, securing a 1-0 victory for Senegal before a crowd of 66,526.
In an official statement, Infantino denounced the actions as ‘unacceptable,’ emphasizing that abandoning the field of play and any form of violence have no place in football. He praised Morocco’s overall hosting of the tournament, a significant test event for its co-hosting duties of the 2030 World Cup. However, Moroccan coach Walid Regragui expressed his dismay at the ‘shameful’ global image projected by African football due to the extended stoppage.
In a post-match admission, Senegal coach Pape Thiaw apologized for his role in instructing the team to walk off, attributing it to a heat-of-the-moment reaction to a ‘feeling of injustice.’ Infantino concluded by calling for disciplinary measures from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and reiterating the paramount importance of respecting match officials’ decisions to safeguard the sport’s integrity.