The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) acknowledges the decisions rendered by the Appeals Committee of the African Football Confederation (CAF) concerning the incidents that occurred during the final match of the Africa Cup of Nations, which pitted the national team against its Senegalese counterpart.
In its ruling issued on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, the CAF Appeals Committee deliberated on the appeal lodged by the FRMF regarding the application of Articles 82 and 84 of the Africa Cup of Nations Regulations. Consequently, the Committee decided to annul the previous decision of the CAF Disciplinary Board and issued the following verdicts:
Outcome of the Final Match:
Applying Article 84 of the Africa Cup of Nations Regulations, the Senegalese national team has been deemed to have forfeited the match by withdrawal during the final of the Africa Cup of Nations, “Morocco 2025.” As a result, the match score has been recorded as 3-0 in favor of the Moroccan national team. The Committee considered that the behavior of the Senegalese team fell within the scope of Articles 82 and 84, thereby accepting the appeal submitted by the FRMF in both form and substance.
Sanctions Related to Players and Officials:
· Player Ismail El Sabiri: The Appeals Committee confirmed that the player committed misconduct contrary to Articles 82 and 83(1) of the CAF Disciplinary Code. However, the sanction imposed on Ismail El Sabiri was modified to a suspension of two official matches in CAF competitions, with one of these matches suspended. Furthermore, the fine of $100,000 previously levied against the player has been overturned.
· Ball Collectors Incident: The Committee affirmed the responsibility of the FRMF for the conduct of the ball collectors during the match. The fine imposed on the Federation concerning this incident was reduced to $50,000.
· VAR Area Breaches: The appeal concerning breaches related to the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) area was rejected. The fine of $100,000 imposed on the FRMF for this incident has been upheld.
· Use of Laser Pointers: Regarding the incident involving the use of laser pointers, the fine imposed on the FRMF was reduced to $10,000.
All other requests or conclusions presented were dismissed by the Committee.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation takes note of these decisions and will issue a further communication on the matter in due course.