King Mohammed VI of Morocco has pardoned the 18 Senegal supporters who were convicted of hooliganism during January's Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat — charges that carried sentences of up to a year and stemmed from one of the most chaotic endings to a continental final in recent memory.
The royal palace cited "human considerations" ahead of Eid Al Adha, and pointed to the "long-standing fraternal relation" between Morocco and Senegal. Diplomatic language, yes. But the timing also matters: Senegal's appeal against the CAF ruling that stripped them of the AFCON title is currently sitting before the Court of Arbitration for Sport. This pardon quietly removes one of the more uncomfortable pieces of context from that legal battle.
What actually happened that night
To recap: VAR awarded Morocco a penalty late in the final. Senegal's players walked off in protest and stayed off the pitch for 14 minutes. When they returned, Morocco missed the penalty. Senegal won 1-0.
The Senegal fans who rushed the pitch, threw objects, and clashed with security forces were arrested and sentenced in April. Some had already served their time before the pardon was issued. The charges — violence against security forces, damaging stadium infrastructure, attempted pitch invasion — weren't trivial. But the pardon suggests Morocco's interest in the optics of this whole saga is still very much alive.
Because the broader story hasn't gone away. Two months after the match, CAF upheld Morocco's appeal and handed them the title, stripping Senegal of the trophy they'd celebrated winning. It's an extraordinary reversal, and Senegal's CAS challenge means the legal question of who actually won the 2025 AFCON is still open.
CAS will have the final word
Until CAS rules, the title is in limbo. Morocco are officially listed as champions. Senegal officially don't have the trophy they lifted on the night. The fans who caused the chaos that triggered this whole chain of events are now free — pardoned by the same king whose country is currently holding the title.
Senegal have long been one of Morocco's closest allies on the continent, which makes this entire episode — the walk-off, the arrests, the stripped title, the pardon — all the more uncomfortable for both nations. The pardon resolves the human element. The legal one is still unresolved.
