Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw has been handed a five-match ban following chaotic scenes during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco earlier this month.

The Confederation of African Football (Caf) also fined Thiaw $100,000, citing “unsporting conduct” and actions that “brought the game into disrepute.”

The final, played in Rabat and won 1–0 by Senegal, was marred by controversy late in the game when Senegal’s players walked off the pitch after Morocco were awarded a stoppage-time penalty.

Thiaw, furious with the referee’s decision to penalise a challenge on Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi, ordered his players to leave the field. The decision came moments after Ismaila Sarr had appeared to score for Senegal before play was stopped.

The match was delayed for approximately 17 minutes before forward Sadio Mané persuaded his teammates to return to the pitch.

Morocco’s Brahim Díaz saw his ‘Panenka’ penalty saved by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, after which referee Jean-Jacques Ndala immediately blew the whistle for full time.

Senegal went on to clinch victory when Pape Gueye scored in the fourth minute of extra time, securing the country’s second Africa Cup of Nations title in five years.

Caf also sanctioned several players involved in the incident. Senegal forwards Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr received two-match bans for “unsporting behaviour towards the referee,” while the Senegal Football Federation was fined $615,000.

On the Moroccan side, forward Ismael Saibari was handed a three-match ban and fined $100,000, while defender Achraf Hakimi received a two-match suspension, with one of the matches suspended for 12 months.

Caf clarified that all bans apply only to its competitions and will not affect preparations for the 2026 Fifa World Cup to be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.