On May 26, 2026, King Mohammed VI of Morocco pardoned 44 Senegalese football supporters who had been detained in Morocco since September 2025. The fans were arrested following clashes during a CAF Champions League match between Senegal's ASC Lébou-gui and Morocco's AS FAR in Rabat.
The release was announced just before the Muslim holiday of Tabaski (Eid al-Adha), celebrated on May 27, 2026. Mansour Gaye, a member of ASC Lébou-gui, expressed gratitude: 'We highly appreciate the gesture of King Mohammed VI.' The supporters were flown back to Senegal on a special flight.
Senegalese authorities welcomed the decision, with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye thanking the Moroccan king for his clemency. The incident had strained relations between the two countries, but the pardon is seen as a gesture of goodwill.
