King Mohammed VI of Morocco has pardoned 18 Senegalese football fans jailed after a pitch invasion during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final in Rabat, on “humanitarian grounds,” according to a royal statement.
In recognition of “the longstanding fraternal ties” between the two countries, “and on the occasion of Eid al-Adha,” the king “granted a pardon to the Senegalese fans on humanitarian grounds,” the statement said. The Muslim festival will be observed on Wednesday in Morocco.
The 18 fans were jailed after a pitch invasion occurred when Morocco was awarded a penalty in stoppage time of the final on January 18. The match was suspended for 14 minutes as Senegalese players and coaching staff left the field in protest of the referee’s decision. When play resumed, Morocco missed the penalty, and Senegal scored a decisive goal in stoppage time to win 1-0.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) later annulled the on-field result on March 17, awarding Morocco a 3-0 win and the title, ruling that Senegal had violated tournament rules by leaving the field without permission. Senegal has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), and a ruling from the Switzerland-based body could take up to a year.
