The Senegalese football enthusiasts, who faced imprisonment after the violent incidents that marred the CAN 2025 final in Rabat in January, arrived back in Senegal on Sunday. Their repatriation followed a royal pardon issued by Morocco’s King Mohammed VI on Saturday.

A statement from the royal cabinet on Saturday confirmed the King’s decision to grant a “royal pardon to the Senegalese supporters for humanitarian considerations,” emphasizing the “centuries-old fraternal relations” between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of Senegal, and coinciding with the upcoming Eid al-Adha (Tabaski) festivities, slated for Wednesday in Morocco.

“Champions of Africa for the second time”

The returning supporters landed overnight at Blaise Diagne International Airport in Diamniadio, located on the outskirts of Dakar. They were greeted by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and key representatives from the Senegalese Football Federation. Addressing journalists, President Faye, dressed in sportswear, expressed immense joy at their return to national territory. He also took the opportunity to reiterate his assertion that the Lions are “the champions of Africa for the second time,” despite the ongoing dispute over the title before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS).

President Faye extended his gratitude to the Moroccan authorities for the pardon, granted in conjunction with the upcoming Tabaski holiday. Patrice Motsepe, President of the Confédération africaine de football (CAF), also commended the King’s decision, describing it as an “enlightening and motivating illustration of football’s power to unite and bring together our peoples across Africa and worldwide.”

Sentences from three months to a year

The unrest occurred on January 18 during the Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat, a chaotic match that saw Senegal emerge victorious with a 1-0 scoreline. Controversy erupted in the second half’s added time when a penalty was awarded to Morocco, immediately after a Senegalese goal had been disallowed. This sequence of events led several Senegalese players to abandon the pitch, while some supporters attempted to storm the field and threw projectiles.

In February, Moroccan courts had handed down prison sentences ranging from three months to one year to eighteen Senegalese individuals. They were prosecuted for “hooliganism,” including acts of violence against law enforcement personnel. By mid-April, three of these supporters had been released after completing their three-month sentences. The royal pardon issued on Saturday specifically applies to the remaining fifteen incarcerated supporters.