AFCON 2025 in Focus: Analysing Morocco’s Pitchside Conduct, Towel Incidents and Refereeing Calls
- In the AFCON 2025 final, it was a tug of war as ball boys and stewards repeatedly targeted opposing goalkeepers' towels, while Moroccan players actively participated in a "towel war"
- Also, multiple controversial VAR decisions through the knockout stages fuelled accusations of systematic refereeing bias in Morocco
- The host country received the 'Fair Play Trophy' despite widespread criticism of unsportsmanlike conduct throughout the tournament
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, hosted by Morocco, concluded amid significant controversy. But the tournament's competitive integrity was questioned following a series of incidents involving unsportsmanlike conduct and disputed officiating.
Senegal ultimately claimed their second continental title with a dramatic 1-0 victory in extra time over the hosts.
However, Morocco's path through the tournament was overshadowed by allegations of systematic gamesmanship and favourable refereeing that sparked outrage across African football.
Source: Getty Images
The most visibly bizarre controversy centered on what became known as the "towel war". This was a series of deliberate attempts to disrupt opposing goalkeepers by removing their equipment.
During the semi-final against Nigeria, a stadium steward ran onto the pitch to steal Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali's towel, an item goalkeepers use to dry their hands and maintain grip on the ball.
The incident prompted angry reactions from Nwabali, who was also reportedly subjected to objects being thrown from the stands, including a banana.
See a video of the towel removal below:
However, the towel tactics reached their peak during the final against Senegal.
Ball boys repeatedly targeted Teranga Lions goalkeeper Édouard Mendy's towel throughout the match, leading to physical confrontations on the sidelines.
In one particularly striking incident, multiple ball boys were observed dragging a Senegal reserve player to the ground as he attempted to protect the towel.
Moroccan players actively participated in these disruptions, and midfielder Ismael Saibari blocked Senegal staff from passing replacement towels to their goalkeeper. At the same time, defender Achraf Hakimi was filmed throwing Mendy's towel over the advertising boards.
These actions occurred repeatedly throughout the match, creating what observers described as a deliberate strategy to unsettle the opposition.
See how it happened in the final below:
These incidents have drawn widespread condemnation from football commentators and fans, who characterised them as disgraceful and damaging to African football's reputation.
The behaviour was particularly criticised given that such tactics appeared coordinated between stadium personnel and players, suggesting institutional involvement rather than isolated incidents.
Critics argued that these actions violated the spirit of fair play and represented an abuse of home advantage.
Beyond the towel controversies, Morocco faced persistent accusations of benefiting from questionable refereeing throughout their tournament run, just as reported by ESPN.
In the quarter-final against Cameroon, a clear foul on Bryan Mbeumo reportedly went unreviewed by VAR, allowing Morocco to progress. The semi-final against Nigeria featured multiple disputed decisions that appeared to favour the hosts, fueling speculation about officiating bias.
The final against Senegal proved most contentious from a refereeing perspective.
Senegal had a goal disallowed for what many observers considered a soft foul, a decision that significantly impacted the match's momentum.
Later, Morocco was awarded a stoppage-time penalty following a VAR check after Brahim Diaz was tugged to the ground by Senegal full-back El Hadji Malick Diouf while defending a corner kick.
The decision proved too much for Senegal's players, who walked off the pitch in protest, creating chaotic scenes and delaying the match by approximately 14 minutes.
When play eventually resumed, Diaz's penalty attempt, an audacious Panenka, was saved by Édouard Mendy, sending the final into extra time, where Pape Gueye netted the 94th-minute winner for Senegal.
CAF opens investigation into AFCON incidents
The Confederation of African Football opened investigations into some quarter-final incidents but did not confirm bias. Though the cumulative effect of these controversies led many to question whether Morocco's home advantage extended beyond normal crowd support into systematic favouritism.
See another incident below:
Moroccan coach Walid Regragui vigorously defended his team against accusations of dirty tactics. He called the criticism "shameful" and insisted that Morocco performed well throughout, according to The Independent.
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He suggested that opponents and critics were attempting to undermine the hosts' achievement and damage African football's image. However, notably, he did not directly address the specific towel incidents or explain the coordinated behaviour of ball boys and players.
Adding to the controversy, the post-final press conference descended into disorder when Moroccan journalists booed Senegal coach Pape Thiaw and his daughter, preventing a proper media session.
Senegal also complained about broader hosting issues, including inadequate security, poor accommodation arrangements, and unfair training facilities that they claimed undermined their preparation, The New York Times reports.
Perhaps most ironically, despite these widespread allegations and visible incidents of unsportsmanlike conduct, Morocco was awarded the tournament's Fair Play Trophy. This is a decision that struck many as incomprehensible, given the documented behaviour throughout the competition.
Source: Twitter
Stanley Nwabali reacts after Senegal win
Legit.ng earlier reported that Super Eagles goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, could not hide his joy after Senegal beat Morocco in the final.
He was one of the 'victims' in the towel war that Morocco led, and so went on his Instagram Stories, asking Morocco to use the 'stolen towels' to dry their tears.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
