AFCON 2026: Morocco Denied Forfeit Win as CAF Confirms Senegal Result

The disciplinary case surrounding the heated final of the most recent Africa Cup of Nations is closed. Speaking on Senegalese public television (RTS), the secretary general of the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), Abdoulaye Seydou Sow, detailed the sanctions issued by the CAF disciplinary jury: a fine of 615 000 dollars, a five-match suspension for coach Pape Thiaw, and two matches for players Ismaila Sarr and Iliman Ndiaye.

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During the hearing, the Senegalese side opted for a conciliatory strategy. Faced with footage of the incidents that occurred amid disputed refereeing, the delegation chose not to deny the facts. “We acknowledged our fault while explaining the circumstances,” the official said, adding that the jury had praised the “courtesy” of the explanations provided by the Senegalese coach.

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Beyond the individual sanctions, the central issue in the proceedings was the final’s result itself. According to Abdoulaye Seydou Sow, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, assisted by several lawyers, had filed an appeal based on the competition regulations, seeking a win by default. The Senegalese defense, for its part, invoked the disciplinary code stipulating that a defeat by default applies to teams that fail to complete the match.

The disciplinary commission ultimately ruled in favor of validating the result achieved on the pitch, as Senegal had played the match through to its conclusion. Although it considered the financial penalty severe and disputed certain facts—the defense having presented videos that allegedly showed the harassment suffered by the Senegalese goalkeeper—the FSF decided not to appeal. “No one can question the trophy. The story ends here,” concluded Abdoulaye Seydou Sow.