Weeks after a chaotic 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final sparked diplomatic tension and legal repercussions, Morocco’s monarchy has granted a royal pardon to 18 Senegalese soccer supporters who were imprisoned for hooliganism connected to the match, according to an official announcement from the Royal Cabinet released Saturday.
The 18 fans faced sentencing in February on charges ranging from vandalism of tournament sports infrastructure to committing violent acts during the high-stakes final. They received prison sentences reaching up to 12 months, and a number of the group have already fully served their court-ordered terms.
In its official statement, the Royal Cabinet outlined the reasoning behind the pardon: Citing the deep, centuries-old fraternal bonds between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of Senegal, King Mohammed VI approved the humanitarian gesture timed to coincide with the major Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha.
The unrest that led to the charges unfolded in January during the tournament’s final match, hosted on Moroccan soil. The game descended into chaos when Senegalese supporters tried to push past security barriers and storm the playing pitch. The incident triggered a temporary walk-off from Senegalese national team players, who were protesting a controversial late penalty decision that favored the host nation.
Senegal ultimately held on to secure a 1-0 victory on the pitch and lifted the tournament trophy, but the Confederation of African Football (CAF) took the unprecedented step of stripping Senegal of the title shortly after, awarding the championship to Morocco instead. Senegalese authorities confirmed in the immediate aftermath that they had filed an official appeal against CAF’s ruling.
In the weeks that followed the match, the post-match unrest escalated into broader social tension. Rights groups operating in Morocco documented a sharp spike in hate speech targeting sub-Saharan African residents of the country, prompting senior political leaders from both Morocco and Senegal to publicly call for calm and restraint. The two nations’ heads of state reaffirmed their commitment to preserving long-standing friendly bilateral ties, and signed dozens of new bilateral agreements focused on expanding cross-border trade and mutual investment to strengthen cooperation.