FIFA President Gianni Infantino has strongly condemned the chaotic scenes that overshadowed Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations final between Senegal and Morocco, describing the actions of some Senegalese players, technical staff, and supporters as “unacceptable.”

In a statement to AFP, Infantino criticised the decision by several Senegal players and members of the technical crew to walk off the pitch in protest after a late penalty was awarded to Morocco following a VAR review.

“It is unacceptable to leave the field of play in this manner, and equally, violence cannot be tolerated in our sport,” Infantino said. “We strongly condemn the behaviour of some supporters as well as some Senegalese players and technical staff members.”

The final, locked at 0-0 deep into injury time, descended into controversy after Moroccan forward Brahim Díaz was awarded a penalty, sparking outrage among Senegal players, many of whom left the pitch. Senegal captain and former Liverpool star Sadio Mané remained on the field, urging teammates to return. Earlier, Senegal had also seen a goal disallowed for what appeared to be a soft foul, further inflaming tensions.

The unrest extended into the stands, with some Senegal supporters attempting to invade the pitch and clashing with security officials, causing a nearly 20-minute delay. The penalty was eventually taken and saved by Senegal goalkeeper Édouard Mendy. Morocco’s Pape Gueye scored in extra time to secure a 1-0 victory.

While congratulating Morocco for hosting “a fantastic tournament” and praising their role as future co-hosts of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, Infantino stressed the importance of respecting match officials.

“Teams must compete on the pitch and within the Laws of the Game. Anything less puts the very essence of football at risk,” he said, warning that such incidents send the wrong message to fans globally.

“The ugly scenes witnessed today must be condemned and never repeated. They have no place in football,” he added, expressing confidence that CAF’s disciplinary bodies would take appropriate action against those responsible.

The statement underscores FIFA’s zero-tolerance stance on unsporting behaviour and reinforces the message that respect for officials and proper conduct must be upheld at all levels of the game.