CAF Disciplinary Board Hands Down Sanctions Over Algeria vs Nigeria Clash at AFCON Morocco 2025
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced a series of disciplinary sanctions following incidents recorded during the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 match between Algeria and Nigeria.
The decisions were reached by CAF’s Disciplinary Board after reviewing reports related to the encounter played on 10 January 2026, a fixture that attracted significant attention due to post-match incidents involving players, officials, and supporters.
According to CAF, the sanctions were imposed in line with the provisions of the CAF Disciplinary Code, following what the governing body described as multiple breaches during and after the match.
Player Sanctions
CAF confirmed that Luca Zidane, goalkeeper of the Algerian national team, has been suspended for two official CAF matches. The suspension follows misconduct during the fixture and will be served in Algeria’s next applicable CAF competitions.
In a separate ruling, Algerian defender Rafik Belkhali received a four-match suspension for improper conduct towards match officials at the conclusion of the game. CAF stated that two of the four matches are suspended on probation, subject to a one-year probationary period starting from the date of the decision. Any further breach within this period could result in the automatic enforcement of the remaining suspension.
Financial Penalties Against the Algerian Football Federation
Beyond individual sanctions, CAF imposed a number of fines on the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) for various infractions attributed to team officials and supporters.
The federation was fined USD 25,000 for inappropriate behaviour by players and officials after the match, conduct CAF said was inconsistent with the principles of fair play and respect for match officials.
CAF also imposed a USD 5,000 fine for the team receiving an excessive number of yellow cards during the match, in violation of Article 130(a) of the CAF Disciplinary Code.
Supporter-related incidents resulted in additional sanctions. The FAF was fined USD 5,000 for the use of smoke devices inside the stadium and another USD 5,000 for objects thrown onto the pitch by supporters.
CAF further imposed a USD 10,000 fine for failure to ensure adequate security arrangements after supporters attempted to breach restricted areas within the stadium.
The most severe financial sanction was a USD 50,000 fine for offensive and abusive gestures directed at match officials by supporters, an offence CAF classified as serious under its disciplinary regulations.
Match Background
The Algeria versus Nigeria fixture ended in a 2–1 victory for Nigeria, a result that confirmed Nigeria’s progression in the competition. However, the closing moments of the match and events that followed were marred by confrontations and crowd disturbances, prompting CAF to initiate disciplinary proceedings.
CAF noted that its review was based on official match reports, referee statements, and security assessments submitted after the game.
CAF Position
In its statement, CAF reiterated its commitment to enforcing discipline across all its competitions and maintaining order, safety, and respect for officials, players, and supporters.
The governing body stressed that national federations are responsible for the conduct of their teams and supporters and will continue to be held accountable for violations of CAF regulations.
CAF also confirmed that all sanctions take immediate effect, subject to the provisions of its disciplinary and appeals procedures.
