Senegal Could Face Legal Action Form FIFA After AFCON Final Drama: Reports

Last Updated:January 20, 2026, 12:57 IST

The protest by Senegal in the added time of the AFCON Final, which led to a 20-minute pause as the players walked off the pitch in anger before returning to complete the game.

Players from both sides clash after a controversial penalty was awarded to Morocco late on during the Africa Cup of Nations final soccer match between Senegal and Morocco in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Youssef Loulidi)

Senegal, who won the African Cup of Nations for a second time with their 1-0 win over hosts Morocco in the final of the continental showpiece, could face legal action sanctioned against them after their dramatic walkout during the summit clash.

The Moroccan Football Federation said that it has formally reported incidents involving Senegalese players and supporters to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA. These incidents occurred in protest of a penalty awarded to Morocco during the Africa Cup of Nations final.

The protest by Senegal in the added time of Sunday’s match in Rabat led to a nearly 20-minute pause as the players walked off the pitch in anger. Some Senegalese fans at the opposite end of the stadium threw chairs and other objects and attempted to enter the field of play.

The AFCON hosts’ football federation stated that these acts “had a significant impact on the normal course of the match and the players’ performance". Morocco missed the penalty that could have secured their first African title in 50 years.

The federation announced that it “will resort to legal procedures" with CAF and FIFA “to rule on the withdrawal of the Senegalese national team from the field" and the events surrounding this decision. They also mentioned that the referee’s decision to grant the Atlas Lions a penalty was “deemed correct by unanimous opinion of specialists".

FIFA president Gianni Infantino condemned “some Senegal players" for the “unacceptable scenes".

Senegal scored the game’s only goal four minutes into extra time after the players returned to the pitch following an appeal from star forward Sadio Mane.

Several Moroccan media outlets on Monday criticised Senegal for a lack of fair play and unsporting behaviour.

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