Rabat

Rabat, the capital of Morocco, recently hosted the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final between Senegal and Morocco. This event has made Rabat newsworthy due to significant controversies surrounding the match and its aftermath. Senegal won the final 1-0, but the game was marred by disputed calls, player protests, and fan disturbances. Following the final, 18 Senegalese football fans were arrested in Rabat and sentenced to prison for alleged hooliganism, leading to strong condemnation from Senegal's Prime Minister and Football Federation, who deemed the sentences excessively harsh. The detained fans also initiated a hunger strike. Furthermore, both Senegal and Morocco received substantial fines and bans from the African football governing body due to the chaotic events during and after the final. The AFCON final in Rabat has thus brought negative attention to African football and strained relations between Senegal and Morocco.