Morocco Seeks The “Ultimate” Sanction Against Senegal While WAFCON Hosting Rights Hang in the Balance
– The January 18 final was marked by a Senegalese walkout and other unsavory incidents, prompting CAF to issue severe sanctions
– While Senegal accepted CAF’s disciplinary sanctions, Morocco rejected them as “not commensurate with the gravity” of the events and will now appeal
– The escalating legal conflict between the FRMF and CAF has cast serious doubt on Morocco’s willingness to host the WAFCON under 50 days
Morocco won’t let go of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON); they are clearly dealing with a hangover. The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has officially communicated of an intent to appeal the Confederation of African Football’s disciplinary sanctions, clearly unsatisfied with the initial ruling.
While the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has accepted the rulings and declared they are at peace with the outcome, Morocco is pushing for the harshest possible penalty, possibly: stripping the Teranga Lions of their continental title.
This comes just days after the January 18 final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, where Senegal defeated the hosts 1-0 in extra time.The match was marred following a controversial walk-off by Senegalese players and staff, which triggered pitch invasion by fans and other scenes that did not honor the game.
Morocco Demands more, Senegal Moves On
In a strongly worded statement released today, the FRMF argued that the sanctions handed down by CAF’s Disciplinary Committee “are not commensurate with the gravity and seriousness of these events”. The federation has confirmed it will appeal.
Conversely, the Senegalese football federation has chosen not to contest the fines and sanctions levied against them, preferring to focus on their upcoming World Cup preparation.
Revisiting Financial and Sporting Penalties by CAF
The sanctions accepted by Senegal were heavy, totaling $615,000 in fines. These penalties include a $100,000 fine and five-match ban for head coach Pape Bouna Thiaw for leading the walk-off, alongside two-match suspensions for players Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaïla Sarr. On the other side, Morocco faces $315,000 in fines, driven by a $200,000 penalty for the inappropriate behavior of ball boys who attempted to distract Édouard Mendy. Moroccan players were also hit, with Ismaël Saibari receiving a three-match ban and Achraf Hakimi suspended for two matches, while the federation was fined an additional $100,000 for staff obstructing the VAR review area.
WAFCON in Jeopardy Under 50 Days
The breakdown in relations between the host nation and CAF has had immediate consequences for the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), scheduled to kick off in Morocco on March 17—less than 50 days from now.
The uncertainty surrounding Morocco’s willingness—to host another major tournament in this climate has opened the door for South Africa. On Sunday night, South African Deputy Minister of Sport, Peace Mabe, announced that her country was ready to host and claimed a handover was imminent.
However, South African Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has since tried to calm the speculation, clarifying that while South Africa is willing to support CAF if required, Morocco remains the official host until a formal decision is made.
With the FRMF now in open legal conflict with CAF over the AFCON final, the dispute clarifies why the WAFCON hosting rights are suddenly being contested so close to the tournament. Analysts suggest that the riots and subsequent appeal may have rendered Morocco’s hosting of the women’s tournament politically untenable, forcing CAF to look for a Plan B in South Africa.
