The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has suspended Senegal’s coach, Pape Thiaw, for five games and fined him $100,000 for “unsporting conduct”.
CAF made this known while announcing its disciplinary verdict following the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final in Rabat, Morocco.
Aside from Senegal’s Coach, CAF also fined the Senegalese federation $615,000 for the team’s conduct and the behaviour of the country’s fans at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium during the final.
CAF explained that it suspended Senegal’s Coach after its Disciplinary Board found Thiaw guilty of “bringing the game into disrepute” after he ordered his players to walk off the pitch in the 93rd minute.
In a ruling announced on Thursday, CAF also sanctioned two Senegalese players — Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr — with two-game suspensions for “unsporting behaviour towards the referee”.
Morocco was also dished penalties for its part in the chaos of the dramatic AFCON final.
The Moroccan FA received a total fine of $315,000 for offences ranging from the conduct of the ball boys during the game to the country’s players and staff invading the VAR review area, obstructing the referee’s work, and the use of lasers by Moroccan supporters.
Achraf Hakimi and Ismael Saibari were handed one and two-match suspensions, respectively, for throwing the towel of Eduard Mendy, the Senegal goalkeeper, into the crowd during the downpour in which the match was played.
CAF, however, dismissed Morocco’s appeal to overturn the match result because of the Senegalese team’s lengthy walk-off.
The statement reads in part: “The Confédération Africaine de Football (“CAF”) Disciplinary Board imposed sanctions on the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF), the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF), and certain players and officials for the incidents during the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 Final, which violated the CAF Disciplinary Code.
“The CAF Disciplinary Board took the following decisions:
(1). On the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF), the CAF Disciplinary Board decided :
“To suspend Mr Pape Bouna Thiaw, the Head Coach of the Senegalese National Team, for five (5) official CAF matches for his unsporting conduct in violation of the CAF Disciplinary Code principles of fair play and integrity and for bringing the game into disrepute.
“Mr Pape Bouna Thiaw was also fined USD 100,000.
“To suspend the Senegalese National Team player, Mr Iliman Cheikh Baroy Ndiaye for two (2) official CAF matches, for his unsporting behaviour towards the referee.
To suspend Senegalese National Team player, Mr Ismaila Sarr for two (2) official CAF matches for his unsporting behaviour towards the referee.
“To fine the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF), USD 300,000 for the improper conduct of its supporters, which brought the game into disrepute in violation of the CAF Disciplinary Code principles of fair play and integrity.
“To fine the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF), USD 300,000 for the unsporting conduct of their players and technical staff in violation of the CAF Disciplinary Code principles of fair play, loyalty, and integrity. The unsporting conduct of their players and the technical staff also brought the game into disrepute.
“To fine the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF), USD 15,000 for the misconduct of its National Team, due to five (5) of its players having received cautions.
“(2). On the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF), the CAF Disciplinary Board decided :
“To suspend the Moroccan National Team player, Mr Achraf Hakimi, for two (2) official CAF matches, with one (1) of these matches being suspended for one (1) year from the date of this decision, for his unsporting behaviour.
“To suspend the Moroccan National Team player, Mr Ismaël Saibari for three (3) official CAF matches for his unsporting behaviour.
“Mr Ismaël Saibari was also fined USD 100,000.
“To fine the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) USD 200,000, for the inappropriate behaviour of the stadium’s ball boys during the aforementioned match.
“To fine the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) USD 100,000 for the improper conduct of their National Team players and technical staff, who invaded the VAR review area and obstructed the referee’s work, in violation of the principles of fair play and integrity, as stated in Articles 82 and 83 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.
“To fine the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) USD 15,000 for the use of lasers by its supporters during the aforementioned match.”
Recall that the 2025 AFCON descended into row after the referee, after consulting VAR, gave Morocco a late penalty over a foul on Brahim Diaz.
In protest of the decision, Thiaw ordered his players and staff off the pitch and into the dugout. Tempers also flared in the stands as angry Senegal fans confronted stewards, and pockets of scuffles broke out.
The Senegalese players and coaching staff’s protest lasted almost 20 minutes before they returned to the field for the match to resume.
Senegal survived the penalty call as Brahim Diaz had his Panenka kick saved, before Pape Gueye’s screamer sealed a second AFCON title for the Teranga Lions.
