Article by Maria Olteanu – Published on Thursday, 19 February 2026, 22:23 / Updated on Thursday, 19 February 2026 22:24
Morocco's Public Ministry on Thursday sought prison terms of up to two years for each of the 18 Senegalese fans detained in the country since the controversial Africa Cup of Nations final on January 18. The accused are facing “hooliganism” following the incidents during the match. The damage at the stadium cost over 370 thousand euros, according to the Moroccan Public Ministry.
In a new hearing at the court of first instance in Rabat, the representative of the Public Ministry said that the supporters “deliberately wanted to disrupt the smooth running of the game” and “committed acts of violence broadcast live by television channels”.
The 18 Senegalese face charges that include acts of violence against law enforcement, destruction of sports equipment, trespassing and throwing projectiles. The two-year prison sentence corresponds to the maximum penalty provided for these crimes, according to abola.pt.
Morocco wants jail time for Senegalese fans
Through their lawyers and with the support of the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) and several players, the accused have denied all the crimes they are accused of.
The final, won by Senegal 1-0 after extra time, was marked by moments of great tension.
This increased in the last minutes of the match, when a penalty awarded in favor of Morocco, and subsequently missed by Brahim Díaz, was vehemently contested by the Senegalese players, who ended up retreating to the dressing room for several minutes. According to the Moroccan prosecution, at that point disgruntled Senegalese fans tried to invade the pitch and threw objects, including at least one chair.
According to the Public Ministry, the material damage to the stadium, which was completely rebuilt before the CAN, is valued at over 370 thousand euros.
