Two Years Behind Bars? Morocco Prosecutors Seek Jail Time For Senegal 'Hooligans'!

Last Updated:February 20, 2026, 13:39 IST

Seeking the maximum penalty for some, the prosecution argued in court that the defendants had deliberately sought to disrupt the proper conduct of the match.

Moroccan prosecutors on Thursday sought jail terms of up to two years for 18 Senegalese football fans detained in Rabat since last month’s AFCON final on charges of hooliganism, according to a report.

Seeking the maximum penalty for some, the prosecution argued in court that the defendants had “deliberately sought to disrupt the proper conduct of the match."

It claimed the group “committed acts of violence broadcast live on television," although the defendants have denied any wrongdoing.

The Senegalese fans have been in pre-trial detention since January 18, the day of the heated AFCON final in which Morocco lost to Senegal 1-0 on home turf.

Minutes before the end of the match, some Senegalese supporters attempted a pitch invasion, while Senegal’s players halted the game for nearly 20 minutes to protest a late penalty awarded to Morocco.

Some fans were also seen throwing objects onto the field, including a chair.

The prosecution estimated material damage to the stadium at more than 4 million Moroccan dirhams. The prosecution stated that evidence against the defendants was based on footage from surveillance cameras at the stadium, as well as medical reports documenting injuries among security forces and stadium stewards.

However, their lawyer, Naima El Guellaf, argued that the footage did not “contain irrefutable proof showing that any one of them struck or assaulted anyone."

In late January, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) imposed a series of sanctions, including fines of several hundred thousand dollars, on both Senegalese and Moroccan federations for unsporting behaviour and breaches of fair play.

Guellaf contended that the defendants should not be “tried twice, since CAF has already sanctioned the Senegalese federation for the supporters’ behaviour."

But Mustapha Simou, the lawyer for the civil party representing members of the security forces, said CAF’s sanctions did “not exempt the accused from criminal responsibility. On the contrary, they confirm their guilt."

A verdict was expected by the end of the day, the judge said. Morocco is set to co-host the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal.

(With Inputs Form Agencies)

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