The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has launched an investigation into alleged misconduct by players and officials during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarter-final matches between Cameroon and Morocco, as well as Algeria and Nigeria.
The probe follows reports of confrontations with referees and disturbances in post-match areas.
In a statement on its official website on Monday, CAF said it had collected match reports and video evidence pointing to potentially unacceptable behaviour and referred the matters to the Disciplinary Board for further review.
“CAF has referred the matters to the Disciplinary Board for investigation and has called for appropriate action to be taken if the identified persons are found guilty of any wrongdoing. CAF is also reviewing footage of an incident involving members of the media who allegedly misbehaved in the mixed zone area,” the statement read.
In the quarter-final fixtures over the weekend, Nigeria defeated Algeria 2-0 in Marrakech, with goals from Victor Osimhen and Akor Adams sending the Super Eagles into the semifinals.
However, the match ended in chaos as Algerian players confronted match officials on the pitch, resulting in scuffles and an attempted pitch invasion by fans, which was stopped by stadium security. The Algerian Football Federation has since lodged a formal complaint with CAF, citing controversial refereeing decisions by Senegalese official Issa Sy, including a denied penalty for an alleged handball in Nigeria’s box during the first half.
Meanwhile, Morocco also advanced with a 2-0 victory over Cameroon, though the game was similarly marred by refereeing disputes. Cameroon felt aggrieved over two potential penalties not awarded, both involving Moroccan defender Adam Masina. Morocco’s coach, Walid Regragui, dismissed claims of home-team bias in a post-match press conference.
CAF reaffirmed its commitment to professionalism and fair play at all tournaments.
“CAF strongly condemns any inappropriate behaviour which occurs during matches, especially those targeting the refereeing team or match organisers. Appropriate actions will be sought against anyone whose behaviour is not consistent with professional conduct at CAF events,” the statement added.
Elijah Adeyemi
