By Anuja, Nigeria
Following the controversies surrounding AFCON 2025 final between Morocco and Senegal, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has set Tuesday, January 27, 2026 to listen to the various petitions arising from incidents including Senegal coach, Pape Thiaw ordering his players off the pitch.
The meeting which was initially scheduled for Sunday, January 25, was postponed after a formal request from the Senegal Football Federation to have more time to prepare its defence. CAF obliged to this request in order to ensure due process and fairness for all parties involved, to ensure it reaches a thorough and flawless decision.
The final where Senegal defeated Morocco 1-0 thanks to Pape Gueye’s strike at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat was intense and controversial, sparking multiple disciplinary issues after the match, particularly against Pape Thiaw and the Teranga Lions of Senegal.
The major controversy was when Thiaw ordered his players to leave the pitch after referee, Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco a penalty, minutes after disallowing a Senegal goal.
This resulted in the match being paused for 17 minutes before Sadio Mane intervened and urged his teammates to return to the pitch to continue the match. Brahim Diaz missed the penalty, and the match went into extra time, which Senegal won after Gueye’s goal four minutes into extra time.
However, CAF in a statement condemned the incidents and confirmed it had opened an investigation into the controversies that disrupted the final.
