Forty-eight Senegalese football fans detained in Morocco during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN 2025) have been pardoned by King Mohammed VI and returned to Senegal on May 23, 2026, according to Senegalese officials. The royal pardon, announced on the eve of Eid al-Adha, cited 'fraternal relations' between the two nations.
The supporters were arrested in January 2025 following clashes after Senegal's semi-final loss to Ivory Coast. They faced charges including public disorder, but Moroccan authorities released them as a gesture of goodwill. Senegal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the group landed at Dakar's Blaise Diagne International Airport on a special flight.
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye thanked King Mohammed VI for the 'humanitarian gesture,' which was widely praised on social media. The incident had briefly strained diplomatic ties, but both countries emphasized their longstanding friendship.
Eid al-Adha, celebrated on May 24 in Morocco, added symbolic weight to the pardon. The fans' families expressed relief, with one relative telling local media: 'We are overjoyed. This is the best Eid gift.'
