- CAF fines Algeria following chaotic scenes in AFCON 2025 quarterfinal clash against Nigeria.
- Luca Zidane, son to French legend Zinedine Zidane, is suspended for two CAF official matches.
- Algeria has received a total fine of USD 100,000.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has handed down heavy sanctions to Algeria following chaotic scenes that marred their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 group-stage encounter against Nigeria.
The CAF Disciplinary Board convened to review incidents arising from thematch played on January 10, a game that ended in controversy despite Nigeria’s convincing 2-0 victory.
What should have been a showcase of African football quickly descended into disorder, with tempers flaring both during and after the final whistle.
As Nigeria defended their two-goal advantage deep into stoppage time, Algeria threw bodies forward in a desperate attempt to get back into the match.
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Every challenge became fiercely contested, fouls piled up in midfield, and the referee increasingly struggled to maintain control as protests from Algerian players intensified.
The flashpoint arrived late in the game when Algeria’s Rafik Belghali launched into a hard tackle on Nigeria winger Moses Simon.
The challenge immediately ignited tensions, triggering a heated confrontation that saw players, substitutes and members of both technical benches spill onto the pitch.
Shoving, shouting, and aggressive gestures followed, creating an atmosphere of maximum tension inside the stadium.
Despite the referee blowing for full time, the situation failed to calm down. Heated verbal exchanges continued between players from both sides, forcing captains and coaching staff to intervene to prevent further escalation.
CAF fines Algeria
Substitutes joined the fray, underlining the level of frustration that had boiled over during the contest.
Following a detailed review, CAF has imposed several disciplinary measures with Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane, son to French legend Zinedine Zidane, being suspended for two CAF official matches for misconduct.
Belghali has received a four-match suspension for aggressive and intimidating behaviour towards the match referee at the end of the game, although two of those matches have been suspended for a probationary period of one year.
CAF has also issued a series of fines against the Algerian Football Federation. A USD 5,000 fine has been imposed for the team receiving five yellow cards, in violation of CAF’s disciplinary code.
An additional USD 25,000 fine has been handed down due to the inappropriate behaviour of players and officials after the match, which CAF ruled brought the game into disrepute.
Supporter misconduct further compounded Algeria’s punishment. CAF has also fined the Algerian federation USD 5,000 for the use of smoke devices, another USD 5,000 for the throwing of objects and USD 10,000 for failing to comply with security measures after supporters attempted to force security barriers.
The most severe sanction comes in the form of a USD 50,000 fine for offensive and abusive gestures by supporters, including the display of banknotes directed at match officials.
The incident has cast a shadow over Algeria’s AFCON 2025 campaign and serves as a stern warning from CAF about maintaining discipline both on and off the pitch.