Senegal fans jailed for AFCON final hooliganism as prime minister laments 'regrettable' outcome

Martin Macdonald

• 25 Feb 2026 13:01 CST
• 3 min read

Nieuws

Eighteen Senegal fans have been sentenced to prison following the disruption at the African Cup of Nations final.

The AFCON final was one of the most chaotic in history, as hosts Morocco took on Senegal in the middle of January.

Both nations were looking to claim just their second-ever AFCON victory.

Deep into injury time in the second period, Morocco were awarded a controversial penalty after Brahim Diaz went down inside the box following a pull from El Hadji Malick Diouf. It was soft in the eyes of many and although the Real Madrid man went down rather easily, he was being held by the defender.

Senegal’s win in the #AFCON25 final will be remembered for their decision to walk off during the game after a controversial penalty decision. Here’s how it unfolded. pic.twitter.com/kw1rGxQCTn

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) January 19, 2026

Everyone of a Senegal persuasion was outraged. The players surrounded the referee in protest and the small batch of away supporters in the corner of the stadium even had to be subdued by riot police after threatening to enter the pitch.

Senegal manager Pape Thiaw took things one step further, though, as he apparently ordered his players to leave the pitch. Most of of them did so, with some even going back into the changing room.

Talisman Sadio Mane kept the peace and eventually convinced his team-mates to return and a good job he did, too, as Diaz missed the subsequent penalty with a failed Panenka before Senegal went on to win the final 1-0 after a solitary goal scored in extra-time.

After the game, the Senegal fans were accused of hooliganism and violence against the security in the stadium.

Last Thursday, 18 were sentenced to periods of time ranging from three months to a year, depending on the individual, while fines were also given.

"It seems this matter goes beyond the realm of sport and that is regrettable," Senegal's prime minister Ousmane Sonko told parliament.

"For two countries that call each other friends, like Morocco and Senegal, things should not have gone this far."

Moroccan prosecutors pursued a maximum two-year sentence for the Senegal fans who were deemed to have "deliberately sought to disrupt the proper conduct of the match".

It is believed that the fans will seek a royal pardon from Morocco's King Mohammed VI.

The (FSF), Senegal's football federation expressed "profound dismay and distress" at the verdicts, which were described as "incomprehensibly harsh" by Bacary Cisse, president of the FSF's communications committee.

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