The Confederation of African Football has handed down firm disciplinary measures following the heated Africa Cup of Nations encounter between Algeria and Nigeria in Marrakech, underlining its renewed stance on conduct, crowd control, and institutional responsibility across continental competitions.
Confederation of African Football confirmed a two-match suspension for Algerian goalkeeper Luca Zidane. The ban will not take immediate effect but will be carried over and served during the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign. In a related decision, defender Rafik Belghali received a four-match suspension, with two of those matches also deferred to the 2027 qualifiers.
Beyond individual sanctions, CAF imposed a substantial financial penalty on the Algerian Football Federation, fining the federation a total of 100,000 dollars for multiple breaches linked to player conduct, officials’ behavior, and crowd disturbances during and after the match.
According to CAF’s disciplinary report, the fine was broken down as follows. Five thousand dollars was issued for players’ conduct that resulted in multiple bookings during the game. A further twenty-five thousand dollars was levied for the conduct of certain players and officials after the final whistle. Crowd-related offenses accounted for a significant portion of the sanction, including five thousand dollars for the use of flares, another five thousand dollars for the throwing of objects, ten thousand dollars for failure to comply with security regulations, and fifty thousand dollars for the behavior of fans and some media personnel inside the stadium environment.
The sanctions stem from incidents surrounding the tense Algeria versus Nigeria fixture at the AFCON tournament in Marrakech, a match that drew widespread attention not only for its sporting implications but also for the post-match scenes that followed. CAF’s response reflects a broader effort to reinforce discipline, safety standards, and professionalism at major African football events.
With the suspensions set to impact Algeria’s preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, and the heavy fine serving as a warning to federations, the governing body has sent a clear message. Competitive intensity will be tolerated on the pitch, but misconduct by players, officials, supporters, or affiliated media will carry tangible consequences.
