“Unacceptable scenes” — Senegal coach Pape Thiaw in trouble after ordering walk-off in AFCON final chaos | OneFootball

Senegal coach may face sanctions following touchline incident

“Unacceptable scenes” — Senegal coach Pape Thiaw in trouble after ordering walk-off in AFCON final chaos

Senegal coach Pape Thiaw may face disciplinary action after ordering his players off the pitch during the AFCON 2025 final against Morocco in Rabat.

What Happened in the AFCON 2025 Final?

The 44 year old reportedly under investigation following dramatic scenes during the AFCON 2025 final against Morocco at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.

The incident took place late in normal time when Senegal were protesting controversial refereeing decision. Moments earlier the reigning African champions had seen potential winning goal ruled out for alleged foul,, a call that sparked anger on the Senegal bench and among players on the pitch.

Tensions escalated further when Congolese referee Jean Jacques Ndala awarded penalty to Morocco for foul on Brahim Diaz. In response Thiaw reacted furiously and instructed his players to walk off the field in protest. The match was briefly halted as riot police were deployed to restore calm in the stands & around the pitch.

Match Resumes & Senegal Still Claim Title

After short delay play resumed and Morocco handed crucial chance to take the lead. Brahim Diaz attempted Panenka style penalty but Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy read the effort and saved comfortably keeping the score level.

Senegal regrouped and showed resilience in extra time. Midfielder Pape Gueye scored the decisive goal sealing 1- 0 victory and delivering Senegal’s second AFCON title.

While players celebrated on the pitch,, attention quickly shifted to the controversy involving their head coach.

FIFA Reaction & Possible Consequences

Despite Senegal lifting the trophy the post match mood overshadowed by the fallout. FIFA President Gianni Infantino described scenes as “unacceptable” and confirmed that disciplinary measures would be considered.

His comments raised the possibility that sanctions could go beyond CAF competitions.

Reports indicate that Thiaw could face touchline suspension or hefty fine and with few official matches for the Senegalese national team before the 2026 World Cup.. any suspension imposed during the tournament could prevent Thiaw from leading the team in the world's biggest football event.

Thiaw later issued public apology admitting that his actions were driven by emotion and should not have happened. However disciplinary procedure still expected to follow with FIFA & CAF reviewing official reports from the final.