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Senegal's AFCON Final Walkout Condemned by FIFA and CAF After Title Win

Senegal clinched its second African Cup of Nations title with a dramatic 1-0 victory over Morocco, sealed by Pape Gueye's 94th-minute extra-time goal. The final was marred by controversy as the Senegalese team walked off the pitch for 14 minutes to protest a late penalty awarded to Morocco. Both the Confederation Africaine de Football and FIFA President Gianni Infantino issued strong statements condemning the walkout as unacceptable behavior. Senegal coach Pape Thiaw subsequently apologized for the incident, attributing it to a heat-of-the-moment reaction.

Key Points: Senegal AFCON Walkout Condemned by FIFA, CAF After Final

  • Senegal wins second AFCON title
  • Team walks off to protest late penalty
  • 14-minute delay mars final
  • FIFA and CAF condemn behavior
  • Coach Pape Thiaw apologizes
3 min read

FIFA, AFCON condemn champions Senegal's walkout during African Cup of Nations final

FIFA and CAF condemn Senegal's team walkout during AFCON final protest. Senegal won 1-0 vs Morocco amid penalty controversy and 14-minute delay.

"The ugly scenes witnessed today must be condemned and never repeated. - Gianni Infantino"

Cairo, January 19

The Confederation Africaine de Football on Monday issued a statement condemning the "unacceptable behaviour of some players and officials during the African Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 final between the hosts and Senegal at Rabat on Sunday, which saw Senegal winning their second title.

Senegal, spearheaded by stars Idrissa Gueye and Sadio Mane, secured their second AFCON title, beating Morocco 1-0 in the title clash on Sunday, with Pape Gueye scoring an incredible goal in the 94th minute, during the extra time. As per Goal.com, the decisive moment of the match came when Gueye got a pass from Idrissa, and he delivered a clean left-footed finish against goalie Yassine Bounou.

During the extra time, Morocco was given a late penalty, and Senegal players walked off the pitch as a mark of protest. The delay lasted 14 minutes, and play resumed in the 24th minute of additional time, with Brahim Diaz's spot kick saved and Pape securing the winning goal. Pape Thiaw, the Senegal coach, was one of the key persons involved in the walk off.

In their statement, CAF said, "The Confederation Africaine de Football ("CAF") condemns the unacceptable behaviour of some players and officials during the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 Final between Morocco and Senegal in Rabat last night.

"CAF strongly condemns any inappropriate behaviour which occurs during matches, especially those targeting the refereeing team or match organisers."

"CAF is reviewing all footage and will refer the matter to competent bodies for appropriate action to be taken against those found guilty," it concluded.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino also said on Instagram, "It is also the responsibility of teams and players to act responsibly and set the right example for fans in the stadiums and millions watching around the world. The ugly scenes witnessed today must be condemned and never repeated. I reiterated that they have no place in football and I expect that the relevant disciplinary bodies at CAF will take the appropriate measures."

Speaking on the walkout, Thiaw issued an "apology to football".

"We should not have reacted like that, but it's done. We apologise to football. After reflection, I really did not appreciate telling my players to leave the pitch. Sometimes, we react in the heat of the moment. We wondered if that penalty should have been given. Before that, we scored a goal that was not awarded. We accept the referee's mistakes; it can happen," he said as quoted by Olympics.com.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priyanka N
I understand the frustration in the heat of the moment. The coach said they had a goal disallowed earlier. African football is so passionate, and sometimes emotions take over. But a 14-minute delay is too much. The apology was necessary. 🏆
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Aman W
FIFA and CAF are right to condemn this. What example does this set for young players watching? In cricket, we have DRS. Maybe football needs better tech to avoid such controversial calls. But walking off is not the solution, yaar.
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Sarah B
The drama made the final unforgettable, but not in a good way. Pape Gueye's winning goal was incredible, but now it's overshadowed. Hope CAF's review is fair and doesn't just punish the winners harshly. The coach owned up to the mistake, that counts for something.
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Karthik V
As an Indian football fan, this is disappointing. We look up to these tournaments and players. Sadio Mane is a legend, but this behavior tarnishes the win. The beautiful game should be about respect. The authorities must take strict action to prevent this from becoming a trend.
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Nikhil C
Honestly, the real issue is the refereeing standard. If there were clear mistakes earlier, no wonder the team snapped. But still, you have to keep your cool. The penalty was saved anyway! What a rollercoaster match. Congrats to Senegal, but learn from this.

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