CAF Investigates Player, Official, And Media Misconduct During AFCON 2025 Quarter-Finals
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has launched an investigation into alleged misconduct by players, officials, and media personnel during the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 quarter-final matches between Cameroon and Morocco, and Algeria and Nigeria.
The probe follows reports of post-match confrontations with referees and concerns over inappropriate behaviour on the pitch. In a statement on Monday, CAF said it has collected match reports and video evidence suggesting possible violations, which have now been referred to the Disciplinary Board for review.
“CAF has referred the matters to the Disciplinary Board for investigation and has called for appropriate action to be taken if the identified persons are found guilty of any wrongdoing. CAF is also reviewing footage of an incident involving members of the media who allegedly misbehaved in the mixed zone area,” the statement said.
In the quarter-finals, Nigeria defeated Algeria 2-0 in Marrakech, with goals from Victor Osimhen and Akor Adams securing the Super Eagles’ place in the semifinals. Post-match footage showed Algerian players confronting referees, resulting in minor scuffles and an attempted pitch invasion by fans, which was halted by stadium security. The Algerian team cited controversial refereeing decisions by Senegalese official Issa Sy, including a denied penalty for an alleged handball in the Nigerian box.
Morocco also advanced with a 2-0 win over Cameroon, although the match was marked by refereeing disputes. Cameroon argued that two potential penalties involving Moroccan defender Adam Masina were wrongly denied. Morocco’s coach, Walid Regragui, dismissed allegations of home-team bias in his post-match press briefing.
CAF reiterated its commitment to maintaining professional conduct at all events, stating:
“CAF strongly condemns any inappropriate behaviour during matches, particularly actions targeting referees or match organisers. Appropriate measures will be taken against anyone whose conduct falls short of professional standards at CAF events.”
