Photo: Senegal, Morocco clash during AFCON finals in Rabat
The Senegalese Football Federation has condemned a Moroccan court ruling that sentenced 18 Senegalese supporters to prison terms following disturbances at last month’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final, describing the punishment as excessive and disproportionate.
The supporters were arrested on January 18, 2026, after the AFCON final in Morocco and had remained in pre-trial detention since then. On Thursday, a court in Rabat handed them prison terms ranging from three to 12 months, along with fines.
Reacting to the verdict, Bacary Cisse, president of the federation’s communications committee, expressed strong dissatisfaction.
“We express our profound dismay and distress following the verdict,” Cisse told AFP. “This incomprehensibly harsh decision has provoked widespread outrage.”
The AFCON final, hosted by Morocco, ended in a 1-0 victory for Senegal. The match was marred by tension late in the game after a penalty was awarded to Morocco, prompting protests from Senegal’s players and a nearly 20-minute stoppage.
Reports indicated that some Senegalese supporters attempted to invade the pitch, while objects, including a chair, were thrown onto the field during the unrest.
The defendants were prosecuted in Rabat on charges of “hooliganism,” including alleged violence against law enforcement officers, damage to sports facilities, pitch invasion, and throwing projectiles.
According to the court’s ruling, nine supporters were sentenced to one year in prison and fined 5,000 dirhams ($545). Six others received six-month prison terms and fines of 2,000 dirhams ($218), while three were handed three-month sentences and fined 1,000 dirhams ($109).
Cisse questioned the proportionality of the sanctions, noting that similar clashes occur in stadiums worldwide without attracting comparable punishment.
“Clashes occur in numerous stadiums around the world, including every weekend in Morocco, without resulting in such sanctions,” he said. “The treatment of these supporters, therefore, appears disproportionate.”
Defence lawyer Patrick Kabou also criticised the ruling, describing it as “incomprehensible” and insisting that his clients were “victims.”
Prosecutors had earlier sought jail terms of up to two years for the defendants, arguing that they had deliberately attempted to disrupt the proper conduct of the match.
