FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) have condemned Senegal’s decision to temporarily walk off the pitch during Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations final, describing the incident as “unacceptable behaviour”.
The dramatic moment came late in the match when the referee awarded Morocco a penalty in injury time, shortly after disallowing a goal scored by Senegal.
In protest, Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw instructed his players to leave the field, bringing the final to a halt for around 20 minutes.
Following intervention from senior players, including captain Sadio Mané, Senegal eventually returned to the pitch. Morocco failed to capitalise on the penalty, with Brahim Díaz’s effort comfortably saved by goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
The match went into extra time, where Pape Gueye scored the decisive goal to secure Senegal’s second AFCON title.
Despite the victory, CAF confirmed it has launched an investigation into the conduct of the Senegal team. In a statement, the governing body said it was reviewing all available video footage and would refer the matter to its disciplinary committees.
“CAF will not tolerate inappropriate conduct during matches, particularly actions directed at match officials or organisers,” the statement said, adding that sanctions would be imposed on any individuals found to have breached regulations.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino also criticised the incident, warning that such actions undermine the integrity of the sport.
“We strongly condemn the behaviour of some supporters, as well as some Senegalese players and members of the technical staff,” Infantino said. “It is unacceptable to leave the field of play in this manner.”
He added that violence and intimidation have “no place in football” and stressed the importance of respecting referees’ decisions.
“Teams must compete on the pitch and within the Laws of the Game, because anything less puts the very essence of football at risk,” Infantino said, expressing confidence that CAF’s disciplinary bodies would take appropriate action.
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