CAF later described the conduct as “unacceptable” and referred the matter to its disciplinary committee for investigation.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has imposed a $100,000 fine on the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) and handed down match bans to players over violent scenes that followed Algeria’s 2–0 defeat to Nigeria in the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Trouble erupted immediately after the final whistle of the high-profile encounter, as several Algerian players were involved in an on-field brawl with members of the Super Eagles, while others reportedly pursued match officials from the pitch into the tunnel.
CAF later described the conduct as “unacceptable” and referred the matter to its disciplinary committee for investigation.
A journalist who covered the tournament in Morocco, Sulaiman Adebayo, popularly known as Pooja, confirmed the sanctions in a post, writing: “CAF impose heavy sanctions on Algeria for misconduct against Nigeria.”
He noted that the punishments included match bans for players, alongside multiple fines for improper conduct, bad behaviour, the use of flares, objects thrown by fans, breaches of safety measures and offensive gestures.
In an announcement on Wednesday, the Algerian Football Federation acknowledged that CAF had fined the national team a total of $100,000.
According to the federation, the penalties covered players’ behaviour that led to multiple bookings, the conduct of some players and officials after the match, the use of flares by supporters, objects thrown by fans, failure to comply with security regulations, as well as offensive behaviour involving fans and some media personnel.
CAF also imposed sporting sanctions, with defender Rafik Belghali handed a four-match suspension, two of which will be served during the 2027 AFCON qualifiers. Goalkeeper Luca Zidane was similarly suspended for two matches, to be served in the next AFCON qualifying campaign.
Reacting to the decision, the Algerian federation said it had already moved to challenge the sanctions.
“Following these decisions, the Algerian FA immediately initiated the appeals process stipulated by the regulations in order to contest these sanctions. The FA will follow developments in this case very closely,” the federation said.
The football governing body had also condemned what it described as “unacceptable behaviour” by some players and officials following the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 final between Morocco and Senegal.
In a statement issued on Monday, the body lamented the chaotic scenes that occurred during and after the final, which was played in Rabat on Sunday night.
The governing body did not specify the individuals involved but said the conduct targeted match officials and tournament organizers.
“CAF strongly condemns any inappropriate behaviour which occurs during matches, especially those targeting the refereeing team or match organizers,” the statement said.
CAF confirmed that it was reviewing all available footage from the match and would refer the matter to the relevant disciplinary bodies.
Sanctions would be imposed on those found to have violated CAF regulations, the organization added.
The AFCON final, one of the most high-profile fixtures on the African football calendar, drew significant attention across the continent. CAF emphasized its commitment to upholding discipline, respect, and fair play at all its competitions.