The Moroccan Football Federation announced on Monday that it has officially reported incidents involving Senegalese players and supporters to the Confederation of African Football and FIFA following the dramatic Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat.
The move follows Senegal’s protest during added time of normal play in Sunday night’s final, after a penalty was awarded to Morocco. The protest saw Senegalese players walk off the pitch in anger, forcing the match to be halted for close to 20 minutes before play could resume.
During the disruption, some Senegal supporters positioned at the opposite end of the stadium reportedly threw chairs and other objects and attempted to gain access to the field of play, further escalating tensions inside the venue.
In a statement, the Moroccan football body said the actions “had a significant impact on the normal course of the match and on the players’ performance”, noting that the prolonged stoppage came just before Morocco missed the penalty that could have secured their first African title in half a century.
The federation said it intends to “resort to legal procedures” with CAF, the organisers of the tournament, and FIFA “in order to rule on the withdrawal of the Senegalese national team from the field” as well as “on the events that accompanied this decision”.
Morocco’s federation also maintained that the referee’s decision to award the penalty to the Atlas Lions was “deemed correct by unanimous opinion of specialists”, rejecting suggestions that the call was controversial or unjustified.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino had earlier criticised “some Senegal players” over what he described as “unacceptable scenes” during the final, echoing concerns about conduct and sportsmanship on one of African football’s biggest stages.
After the match resumed, Senegal went on to score the decisive goal just four minutes into extra time, shortly after star forward Sadio Mane appealed to his teammates to return to the pitch.
On Monday, several Moroccan media outlets strongly criticised Senegal, accusing the team of lacking fair play and engaging in unsporting behaviour during a final that was watched across the continent and beyond.
What you should know
The Moroccan Football Federation’s decision to formally approach CAF and FIFA highlights the growing fallout from the chaotic scenes that disrupted the AFCON final.
With protests, crowd disorder and a lengthy stoppage shaping the outcome of the match, the case could lead to disciplinary reviews and possible sanctions.
The incident has also reignited debate over refereeing decisions, player conduct and the image of African football on the global stage.
