World football governing body FIFA and rule-makers IFAB have approved a new law aimed at preventing teams from leaving the pitch in protest, following Senegal's controversial actions during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final.
Background: Senegal's Protest at AFCON 2025 Final
Senegal defeated Morocco 1-0 in the AFCON 2025 final, but the match was marred by disruption after the Teranga Lions left the pitch to protest a referee's decision. Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala disallowed a legitimate Senegal goal and awarded a penalty to Morocco, prompting Senegal's head coach Pape Thiaw to order his players off the field. The match was halted for approximately 17 minutes before captain Sadio Mane intervened and convinced his teammates to return. Morocco's Brahim Diaz missed the penalty, and Senegal's Pape Gueye scored in extra time to secure victory.
CAF Sanctions and Appeal
Following the match, CAF sanctioned both Senegal and Morocco. Morocco's Football Federation appealed, leading to a controversial ruling by the Appeal Board that stripped Senegal of the title and awarded Morocco a 3-0 walkover victory. Senegal rejected the decision and appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), where the case remains ongoing.
FIFA and IFAB Approve New Laws
FIFA announced that, in conjunction with IFAB, two new laws have been approved and will take effect at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The first law addresses teams leaving the pitch in protest. According to FIFA's statement: "At the discretion of the competition organiser, the referee may sanction with a red card any player who leaves the field of play in protest at a referee's decision. This new rule will also apply to any team official who incites players to leave the field of play. A team that causes a match to be abandoned will, in principle, forfeit the match." Had this rule been in place during the AFCON 2025 final, all Senegalese players and Pape Thiaw would have been red-carded, and Senegal would have forfeited the match.
Second Law: Covering Mouths
The second law targets players covering their mouths while speaking on the pitch to avoid lip-reading or camera detection. This follows an incident involving Gianluca Prestianni, who made discriminatory remarks towards Vinicius Jr. while covering his mouth. UEFA suspended Prestianni for six games, but under the new rule, any subsequent offence will result in a red card.
FIFA Drops AFCON 2025 Final Referee
In related news, FIFA has dropped referee Jean-Jacques Ndala from officiating at the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico, and Canada. The Congolese referee, along with others who oversaw controversial matches at the tournament, was overlooked for the World Cup officiating roster.
