RABAT.
Senegal’s head coach Pape Bouna Thiaw has been suspended for five official CAF matches and fined $100,000 after disciplinary breaches during the chaotic 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final in Morocco, the Confederation of African Football announced on Tuesday.
The sanction follows a fiery final that spiralled into post-match incidents involving players, officials and supporters, forcing CAF’s Disciplinary Committee into urgent action.
In a statement released after its meeting, CAF said Thiaw was found guilty of unsporting conduct, adding that the punishment takes immediate effect.
Heavy Sanctions for Senegal Players and FA
Meanwhile, Senegal was hit with further penalties. Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr were each handed two-match bans, while the Senegal Football Federation was fined a total of $600,000.
CAF said the fine covered the conduct of supporters, players and members of the technical crew during and after the final.
“CAF will not tolerate behavior that undermines the integrity of its competitions”, the statement read.
Despite the sanctions, CAF made it clear that Senegal’s on-field triumph remains untouched.
Morocco Also Punished After Final
However, Senegal was not alone. The host nation, Morocco, also faced disciplinary action following events surrounding the final.
Captain Achraf Hakimi received a two-match suspension, with one of the matches suspended for a year. Midfielder Ismaël Saibari was banned for three matches and fined $100,000.
The Moroccan Football Federation was fined $200,000 over the conduct of Ball Boys and an additional $100,000 for a VAR-related incident involving players and officials.
CAF Rejects Morocco’s Appeal
Hours later, CAF delivered a decisive blow to Morocco’s hopes if overturning the result.
The Appeals Committee rejected Morocco’s request to have Senegal stripped of the AFCON 2025 title, ruling that there were no sufficient grounds to alter the outcome of the match.
“The results of the final stands”, CAF confirmed, adding that the matter is now closed, despite the controversy that followed the game.
With the ruling, Senegal is officially confirmed as AFCON 2025 champions, while all sanctions will be enforced with immediate effect.
What comes next is a period of suspension and fines, but the trophy stays firmly in Dakar.
