AFCON Final Chaos Sparks CAF’s Toughest Sanctions Yet Against Senegal
21 January 2026
What happened in the AFCON final
A reliable CAF source says the disciplinary committee is about to hand severe sanctions over the Africa Cup of Nations final between Senegal and Morocco held last Sunday. The source asked for anonymity.
The Senegalese won 1-0 on Moroccan soil in the final after dramatic late events when referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded a Moroccan penalty.
Senegal players walked off in protest before returning to finish the match after Sadio Mane intervened.
The missed Moroccan spot-kick left the game to extra time, where a Senegalese attack sealed the title.
A CAF source said sanctions against the Senegal Football Federation, coach Pape Thiaw, and several staff members are forthcoming.
He added the federation violated rules by attempting to withdraw, causing a more-than-10-minute interruption.
The sanctions, he warned, would be the biggest in AFCON history and utterly unacceptable.
What comes next and a touch of humor
The incident also caused stoppages lasting more than ten minutes; officials say sanctions will be announced soon and investigations will continue.
If penalties were fashion, this final would be red-card chic.
If drama paid bills, the CAF budget would finally balance.
