CAF suspends Senegal head coach Pepe Thiaw after AFCON final chaos

Zuko Komisa

Pape Thiaw was found guilty of “unacceptable conduct” for ordering his players to walk off the pitch during the AFCON 2025 final against Morocco.
Despite Senegal’s 1–0 title victory, CAF has banned Thiaw from all continental competitions and imposed a financial penalty.
CAF warned that “no individual is above the rules,” forcing the champions to seek interim leadership for upcoming fixtures.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has suspended Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw for “damaging the image of African football” during the tense AFCON 2025 final.

Thiaw sparked chaotic scenes by instructing his squad to abandon the pitch in protest of a late refereeing decision.

Although Senegal returned to clinch a 1–0 win in extra time, CAF’s disciplinary committee ruled the bench’s actions crossed a line, mandating a ban and a fine.

The ruling leaves the reigning champions without their manager for forthcoming continental matches. Emphasising that respect for officials is non-negotiable, CAF warned of tougher consequences for future incidents.

The Senegalese Football Federation must now appoint interim staff as they begin their title defence without their primary tactician.