AFCON 2025: Le Monde Reports Referee Told Not to Book Senegal Players

Rabat – French newspaper Le Monde reports new details about the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final, stating that the referee faced institutional pressure not to book Senegal players during their walk-off.

Le Monde’s report also stated that Khaled Lemkecher, the general coordinator of the AFCON final, noted that Senegal’s players returned to the dressing room, effectively abandoning the match.

The disclosure emerged from a memo presented by Tarik Najm, Secretary General of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), during a CAF executive committee meeting held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on February 13.

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During the meeting, Olivier Savary, head of CAF’s referees committee, acknowledged that “institutional instructions” were issued to the referee during the stoppage in play.

The objective was to avoid further bookings for Senegal players, which could have resulted in expulsions.

This detail matters. At least two Senegal players had already received yellow cards, and another booking would have forced them off the pitch. Instead, the decision was made to hold back, allowing the match to continue.

A decisive moment late in the match

The key sequence happened in the 97th minute. After a VAR review, the referee awarded Morocco a penalty. Senegal’s players reacted immediately and strongly.

According to the referee’s report, the players left the field following instructions from Senegal’s head coach Pape Thiaw. The match stopped as officials tried to regain control of the situation.

Reports from match officials describe a tense scene. Players protested, staff members got involved, and the situation in the stands also escalated. Security teams had to intervene as some supporters attempted to invade the pitch.

Le Monde also pointed to what happened during that break in play. According to Najem’s memo, discussions within CAF later confirmed that the referee received instructions not to punish Senegal players upon their return.

The explanation given was the need to “preserve the match.” But that choice now forms part of the broader debate around how the situation was handled.

From field to courtroom

Senegal eventually returned to the field, and the match continued. The game went to extra time, where Senegal scored and secured a 1-0 win on the pitch.

Morocco quickly contested the outcome, arguing that Senegal’s walk-off triggered sanctions under CAF regulations, specifically Articles 82 and 84.

Those rules state that a team that leaves the field without the referee’s permission can be declared to have lost the match.

CAF’s Appeals Committee later agreed with that interpretation and awarded Morocco a 3-0 win. Senegal rejected the decision and took the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

A wider crisis around the final

Le Monde’s investigation shows that the final did not only unfold on the pitch. Tensions had already built in the days leading up to the match, with disputes over logistics, accommodation, and security.

Those issues added pressure to an already high-stakes game.

After the final, disagreements continued between both federations and within CAF itself. Different bodies reached different conclusions, which added confusion and raised questions about consistency in decision-making.

Despite all the heated debate, one point appears in every official report reviewed: Senegal’s players left the pitch during the match.

That moment now sits at the center of the case before CAS.

As the legal process continues, the final decision will depend on how the rules apply to that action, not on the emotions or controversy surrounding the game.