Morocco's King Mohammed VI has granted a royal pardon to 15 Senegalese football supporters still imprisoned after violence at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final, citing "humanitarian grounds" and the "age-old fraternal ties" between the two countries. The announcement, timed to coincide with the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, was confirmed by the royal court on Saturday, 23 May. Their lawyer, Patrick Kabou, told AFP that the supporters were expected to be released the same evening.
The fans were arrested following serious disturbances during the AFCON final held on 18 January at Rabat's Moulay Abdellah Stadium — a venue in Morocco's capital. A controversial penalty awarded to Morocco in injury time sparked a pitch invasion by Senegalese supporters, who also threw projectiles and clashed with stewards and law enforcement officers. The Senegalese players and coaching staff walked off the pitch in protest, halting play for 14 minutes. Senegal ultimately won the match 1-0, but the chaos came at a steep cost. Moroccan courts sentenced 18 Senegalese supporters to terms ranging from three months to one year on charges including hooliganism, assault on security personnel, and destruction of property, with material damage estimated at over 370,000 euros. Three of the 18 completed their shorter sentences and were released in mid-April; Saturday's pardon applies to the remaining 15.
The fallout from the final extended well beyond the stadium. In March, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) reversed the match result, awarding Morocco a 3-0 technical victory after ruling that Senegal had violated tournament regulations by abandoning the field. Morocco was consequently crowned AFCON 2025 champion. Senegal has since appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the Switzerland-based independent tribunal, where a ruling could take up to a year. Meanwhile, demonstrations were held in Senegal calling for the imprisoned fans' release, and social media exchanges between citizens of both countries at times turned hostile and xenophobic.
Senegal's president, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, welcomed the pardon warmly, writing on X that his compatriots "will soon be reunited with their families" and offering his "most sincere thanks" to King Mohammed VI for a decision he described as marked by "clemency and humanity." In Morocco too, reaction was broadly positive, with residents expressing relief that the episode could now be put behind the two nations. The pardon, issued on the eve of Eid al-Adha, is widely seen as a gesture designed to ease months of diplomatic and social tension — even as the legal dispute over the AFCON title itself remains unresolved.