Following the dramatic conclusion of the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and several international press unions have issued a stern condemnation of “unacceptable and unprofessional” behaviour by a section of the media during and after the final match.
While the pitch saw high-intensity football between Senegal and Morocco, the media tribune and post-match press conference reportedly descended into chaos, drawing sharp criticism from officials.
Reports from eyewitnesses and CAF officials describe a series of incidents that breached the professional code of conduct for accredited journalists.
A significant number of accredited “journalists” were observed abandoning their neutrality, wearing national team jerseys, and engaging in aggressive cheering and chanting in the media tribune.
Altercations broke out between Moroccan and Senegalese media personnel following the controversial winning goal by Senegal. Security had to intervene to prevent physical brawls in the working area.
More so, during the post-match press conference with winning coach Aliou Cissé, some reporters reportedly began singing and dancing on tables, while others shouted insults at losing coach Walid Regragui, making it impossible for standard questioning to proceed.
A few accredited media members were seen attempting to bypass security to take “selfies” with players before the official trophy presentation was completed.
CAF Statement:
“The behavior of some accredited media representatives at the AFCON 2026 final was a disgrace to the profession. The media zone is a place of work, not a fan zone. CAF will investigate these incidents and individuals found to have breached our code of conduct face permanent blacklisting from future CAF events.”
International Sports Press Association (AIPS) Africa:
“We strongly condemn the lack of decorum. Being a journalist is a privilege that comes with the responsibility of objectivity and respect. Turning a professional workspace into a chaotic arena of tribalism and hooliganism is unacceptable.”
This is not the first time AFCON has struggled with media discipline. Similar issues were noted during the 2023 edition in Côte d’Ivoire, but the scale of the disruption in Casablanca has reportedly set a new low.
CAF is expected to introduce stricter accreditation criteria for the 2025 WAFCON and the 2027 AFCON. Proposed measures include:
Strict Dress Codes: Banning team apparel in the media tribune.
Code of Conduct Deposits: Requiring media houses to sign a bond of professional behavior.
Surveillance: Use of CCTV to identify and eject journalists who engage in non-professional behavior during matches.
