The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has launched an inquiry into the “unacceptable behaviour from some players and officials” of Algeria’s Desert Foxes following their defeat to Nigeria on Saturday.
Nigeria secured a 2-0 victory over Algeria at the Grand Stade de Marrakech in the quarter-final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Goals from Victor Osimhen and Akor Adams sealed a dominant display by Nigeria in what proved to be a largely one-sided contest, with Algeria registering their first shot only in the 80th minute.
In spite of Nigeria’s clear dominance, Algerian players and officials reportedly blamed Senegalese referee Issa Sy and his officiating team for their poor showing.
At the final whistle, members of the Algerian squad confronted the match officials, with the confrontation escalating into a heated on-field scuffle that also involved a few Nigerian players.
Match officials were eventually escorted off the pitch by other officials to shield them from the anger of the Algerian players. The tension reportedly spilled into the dugout area, where some Algerian players were seen shoving and throwing punches as they moved toward what appeared to be the officials.
In a statement released on Monday, CAF confirmed that the matter has been referred to its disciplinary board, stressing that appropriate action will “be taken if the identified persons are found guilty of any wrongdoing”.
CAF also disclosed that the AFCON quarter-final encounter between Cameroon and Morocco will be examined for any potential misconduct involving players or officials.
“CAF strongly condemns any inappropriate behaviour which occurs during matches, especially those targeting the refereeing team or match organisers,” the statement said.
“Appropriate actions will be sought against anyone whose behaviour is not consistent with professional conduct at CAF events.”
The confederation added that it will review video footage of a separate incident involving members of the media who allegedly behaved improperly in the mixed zone area.