The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Disciplinary Board recently concluded its review of several incidents that occurred during the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 Qualifiers and CAF Interclub Competitions. The Board’s decisions, announced on December 29, 2024, underscore CAF’s unwavering commitment to upholding the integrity of its competitions and ensuring a safe and secure environment for players, officials, and fans. The sanctions imposed range from financial penalties to stadium closures, reflecting the severity of the offenses and aiming to deter future misconduct.
Among the national teams facing disciplinary action, Equatorial Guinea was sanctioned for security lapses during their AFCON 2025 qualifier against Togo. The failure to provide adequate security, coupled with pitch invasions by supporters, resulted in a suspended fine of USD 25,000 and an additional USD 5,000 penalty. Libya received a harsher punishment for supporter and official misconduct during their qualifier against Benin. Citing breaches of CAF’s disciplinary code, the Board imposed a USD 50,000 fine and ordered Libya to play their next two official home matches behind closed doors, a significant penalty aimed at addressing the disruptive behavior. Benin, on the other hand, faced sanctions for non-cooperation with CAF officials and misconduct by their officials following their match against Rwanda. The combined fines for these offenses totaled USD 55,000, with a portion of the fine for misconduct suspended.
The disciplinary actions extended to club competitions as well, with several teams facing penalties for fan misconduct. CS Sfaxien of Tunisia was fined USD 20,000, with half the amount suspended, for pyrotechnic incidents involving their fans during a Confederation Cup match against CS Constantine of Algeria. Similarly, USM Alger of Algeria and CR Belouizdad, also of Algeria, were fined for the use of smoke bombs by their supporters during Confederation Cup and Champions League matches, respectively. These sanctions highlight CAF’s zero-tolerance policy towards the use of pyrotechnics, which pose a safety risk to everyone present in the stadium.
AS FAR of Morocco faced a double penalty for fan misconduct during their Champions League encounter against Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa. The club was fined USD 5,000 for the use of smoke bombs by fans and an additional USD 10,000 for the use of lasers, demonstrating CAF’s commitment to addressing various forms of disruptive behavior by supporters. The separate fines for each infraction emphasize the seriousness with which CAF views these offenses and the importance of maintaining a safe and respectful environment during its competitions.
In addition to the sanctions imposed on teams and federations, the Disciplinary Board also addressed a complaint lodged by the Guinean Football Federation concerning their match against Tanzania. While the complaint was deemed admissible, the Board ultimately rejected it, upholding the original match result. This decision emphasizes the Board’s commitment to thorough investigation and impartial judgment in addressing disputes arising from its competitions.
The range of disciplinary actions taken by the CAF Disciplinary Board reflects a comprehensive approach to addressing misconduct and promoting fair play and safety within African football. The financial penalties and stadium closures serve as deterrents, while the upholding of the match result between Tanzania and Guinea demonstrates a commitment to due process. These decisions underscore CAF’s resolve to maintain order and integrity within its competitions and ensure a positive and secure environment for all participants.
