THE Confederation of African Football (CAF) has opened a probe into alleged misconduct by players, officials, and journalists during the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 quarter-finals, particularly the match between Algeria and Nigeria.
In a statement on Monday, January 12, 2026, CAF said it had collected match reports and video footage showing potentially unacceptable behaviour and referred the matters to its Disciplinary Board for further review.
The governing body confirmed that appropriate action would be taken if any individuals are found guilty of wrongdoing.
The ICIR reports that the match, played in Marrakech, ended with Nigeria defeating Algeria 2–0 to advance to the semi-finals.
However, the aftermath was marked by tension both on and off the pitch, with several Algerian players seen confronting referee Issa Sy and his assistants over disputed decisions.
In some of the videos circulating on social media, security personnel had to intervene by first forming a defence around the officials, to prevent escalation.
Nigerian players were also involved in heated exchanges as seen in on-the-pitch chaos. The unrest extended to the stands, where frustrated Algerian fans attempted to breach barriers and vandalised sections of the stadium before stewards restored order.
Reacting further, CAF condemned all inappropriate conduct during matches, especially actions targeting referees, tournament organisers, or media members.
“CAF is also reviewing footage of an incident involving members of the media who allegedly misbehaved in the mixed zone area.
“CAF strongly condemns any inappropriate behaviour which occurs during matches, especially those targeting the refereeing team or match organisers. Appropriate actions will be sought against anyone whose behaviour is not consistent with professional conduct at CAF events,” the statement added.
The confederation also confirmed that it was reviewing the incident in the mixed zone and would hold accountable anyone found to have acted unprofessionally.
“CAF has referred the matters to the Disciplinary Board for investigation and has called for appropriate action to be taken if the identified persons were to be found guilty of any wrongdoing,” the statement added.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M