Senegal PM Labels AFCON Final Incidents ‘Deplorable’ Amidst CAF Scrutiny

Senegal’s Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko, has described the incidents during the just concluded 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) final against Morocco as ‘deplorable’ and ‘painful’. His remarks come as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) considers potential sanctions against the Senegalese national team.

CAF Executive and Disciplinary Committees will convene today to deliberate on the incidents. The disciplinary hearing, initially scheduled to take place on Sunday, was postponed following a formal request from the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), which sought additional time to adequately prepare its defence.

CAF granted the request, citing the need to ensure due process and fairness for all parties involved.

The controversy arose when Senegalese players staged a walk-off in protest of a VAR-awarded penalty, though they ultimately returned to secure a 1-0 victory after extra time. Following the penalty decision, a group of Senegalese fans clashed with Moroccan security while attempting to enter the pitch. Eighteen Senegalese supporters have since been arrested and are facing trial in Morocco.

Speaking at the opening of a Moroccan-Senegalese joint commission in Rabat yesterday, a week after the final, Sonko acknowledged the “charged with sporting emotion, deplorable misconduct and images that have at times been painful for two peoples deeply bound to one another.”

He urged that the “misbehaviour observed here and there should neither be denied nor dramatized,” instead suggesting they “should be understood as emotional excesses fuelled by passion, rather than as political or cultural rifts.”

His comments mark the first public acknowledgment of the incidents in such terms by a senior Senegalese official, preceding any disciplinary action from CAF. The Moroccan football federation has confirmed it is pursuing legal action with both CAF and FIFA. CAF has stated it will take “appropriate action” after reviewing the match, while FIFA President Gianni Infantino has condemned the conduct of Senegal’s players and coaching staff.