A Moroccan court has sentenced 18 Senegalese football supporters, along with one French national, to various prison terms and fines following crowd violence during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final in Rabat.
The ruling was delivered on Thursday, February 19, 2026, by the High Court in Rabat, weeks after disturbances marred the final played at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
Senegal defeated hosts Morocco 1–0 after extra time to clinch their second continental title.
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Charges and Convictions.
The defendants were found guilty of hooliganism, violence against security personnel, and destruction of sporting facilities.
Prosecutors relied on stadium surveillance footage and medical reports detailing injuries sustained by security officers during pitch invasions and the throwing of projectiles.
Moroccan authorities estimated damage to the stadium infrastructure at approximately $430,000.
Sentencing Breakdown
According to the court’s decision:
Nine defendants received one-year prison sentences and fines of $500 each.
Six defendants were sentenced to six months in prison and fined $200 each.
Three defendants received three-month prison terms and fines of $120 each.
Some reports note slight variations in the figures, reflecting the inclusion of a French national among the 19 individuals prosecuted.
Defense lawyers argued that the video evidence did not provide “irrefutable proof” of direct assaults and highlighted that the accused had already spent several weeks in pre-trial detention.
They also disclosed that the detainees staged a hunger strike on February 6, protesting prolonged detention and alleged language barriers during police interrogation.
An appeal against the verdict has since been announced.
The incident drew sharp condemnation from global football leaders. Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, described the scenes at the final as “unacceptable.”
Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) had earlier imposed heavy fines on both the Senegalese and Moroccan football federations for misconduct involving players and officials during the same match.
The convictions underscore renewed calls by football authorities for stricter crowd-control measures and tougher sanctions to curb hooliganism at major international tournaments.
