Appeal trial of 18 Senegalese nationals detained during AFCON final postponed

A Moroccan court has pushed back the appeal trial of 18 Senegalese football fans detained in Rabat during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final.

Scheduled to start on Monday, the hearing has been delayed until March 30th.

The defendants are charged with hooliganism during January's chaotic championship match between Senegal and Morocco.

With the game tied, referees disallowed a goal for Senegal before awarding a penalty to Morocco. The Senegalese team briefly walked off the pitch in protest while fans threw chairs onto the field and battled stewards, causing close to half a million dollars' worth of damage.

Eighteen Senegalese nationals and one French citizen were convicted last month and sentenced to between three months and a year in prison. They have also been ordered to pay fines of up to $550.

The case prompted diplomatic intervention, with Senegalese and French diplomats attending the initial hearing.

Following the match, senior officials from Senegal and Morocco moved to protect bilateral relations, with Senegal's prime minister visiting Rabat to sign investment agreements.