Appeal court judges in Morocco have dismissed a bid to increase the punishments for 18 Senegal supporters who were jailed and fined for hooliganism during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat in January.
Nine were sentenced to one year in prison and fined 5,000 dirhams (€460), while six others received six-month sentences and fines of 2,000 dirhams (€180). The remaining three were given three months in jail and fined 1,000 dirhams (€90).
Those handed three-month sentences are eligible for release from next Saturday.
During the hearing, the defendants insisted they had done nothing wrong. They said they were forced onto the pitch by a surge in the crowd or were trying to escape spitting and objects being thrown.
They also denied protesting against a refereeing decision in second-half stoppage time – an incident that prompted the Senegal team to walk off the pitch in protest, delaying the game by 15 minutes.
Morocco beat Nigeria on penalties to set up Senegal final at Cup of Nations
When play resumed, Morocco striker Brahim Diaz botched a penalty that could have brought Morocco its first Africa Cup of Nations trophy since 1976.
Senegal went on to win the game in extra-time.
Immediately after the final, the Moroccan football federation lodged an appeal against the result with the tournament organisers the Confederation of African Football (Caf).
Two weeks after the showdown, Caf's disciplinary committee handed out fines and bans on Senegal coach Pape Thiaw as well as several Moroccan and Senegalese players.
But the panel did not overturn the result.
On 17 March, Caf's appeals committee stripped Senegal of the title and awarded the trophy to Morocco with a 3-0 forfeit victory.
Senegal to appeal Confederation of African Football sanctions over CAN final
"It is declared that the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football, through the conduct of its team, infringed Article 82 of the Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations," said a Caf statement.
"In application of Article 84 of the Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations, the Senegal team is declared to have forfeited the match, with the result recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football."
Senegal has lodged an appeal against Caf's verdict with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Since the final, Morocco coach Walid Regragui has stepped down. Mohamed Ouahbi, the boss of Morocco's under-20 World Cup-winning squad, will steer Morocco through the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Morocco, who reached the semi-final at the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, will play in Group C against Brazil, Scotland and Haiti.
Senegal will participate in Group I with France, Norway and Iraq.
