Morocco’s King Mohammed VI Pardons Jailed Senegalese AFCON Supporters Ahead of Eid

RABAT — In a major diplomatic gesture aimed at cooling the bitter fallout from the controversial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final, Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has granted a royal pardon to the remaining 15 jailed Senegalese football fans.

​The announcement, released by the royal palace, cited “humanitarian reasons” and highlighted the deep, historical ties between Rabat and Dakar. The decision comes just days before Morocco celebrates the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

​A Fractured Final and a Legal Reversal

​The fans were originally among 18 supporters arrested and convicted following a wave of stadium violence during the chaotic AFCON showpiece on January 18 at Rabat’s Moulay Abdellah Stadium. Tensions boiled over late in the match when a Senegal goal was disallowed and hosts Morocco were subsequently awarded a stoppage-time penalty. The decision triggered a 15-minute pitch walk-off by the Senegalese squad. In the stands, furious traveling fans attempted to storm the pitch, clashing with stewards and security personnel.

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​Though Senegal managed to finish the match and secure a 1-0 victory on the pitch in extra time, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeal Board completely overturned the result on March 17. Applying Article 84 of the tournament regulations, CAF ruled that the Teranga Lions had technical forfeited the match due to their walk-off protest, administratively awarding Morocco a 3-0 victory and the continental trophy.

​The chaos left behind severe infrastructure damage at the venue, which Moroccan prosecutors estimated at over €370,000 ($430,000), alongside several injuries to local law enforcement. In February, a Moroccan court handed down prison sentences ranging from three months to one year to 18 defendants. While three fans were released in mid-April after serving their terms, 15 remained behind bars until the King’s intervention.

​Diplomatic Fences Mended

​Defense lawyer Patrick Kabou confirmed that the group was expected to walk free from detention, concluding a grueling four-month legal ordeal for the traveling supporters.

​The royal clemency was met with immediate appreciation from Dakar. Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye took to social media to praise the Moroccan monarch, thanking him for a decision “imbued with clemency and humanity” that would ensure the fans are reunited with their families in time for the holidays.

​The diplomatic intervention underscores the critical geopolitical alliance between the two West and North African powerhouses. Beyond footballing rivalries, Senegal remains Morocco’s key ally in Sub-Saharan Africa, representing the kingdom’s largest resident foreign community alongside deep-rooted bilateral partnerships in economic, energy, and tourism sectors.

​While the administrative title remains a point of bitter contention—with the Senegalese Football Federation currently fighting CAF’s decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)—the release of the fans successfully untangles a sensitive humanitarian knot that threatened to strain fraternal relations off the pitch.