The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) Disciplinary Board has taken disciplinary action against a number of top African clubs and their players and officials for flouting regulations during this year’s CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup matches.
The infractions include failure to adhere to security requirements as well as fan and player misbehaviour.
The clubs charged are AS FAR (Morocco), CS Constantine (Algeria), Espérance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), Orlando Pirates (South Africa), MC Alger (Algeria), USM Alger (Algeria), and Pyramids FC (Egypt).
Players and officials charged include Mohamed Khezrouni (assistant coach of MC Alger), Abdelkader Oussama Menezla (MC Alger player), Ezekiel Matebul (Orlando Pirates official), and Sipho Chaine and Nkosinathi Sibisi (Orlando Pirates players).
Those charged have been asked to pay fines, suspended, and/or clubs ordered to play behind closed doors.
Below is the summary of the board’s decisions:
AS FAR
The CAF Disciplinary charged AS FAR (Morocco) with misconduct, infringement of Articles 17.1 and 17.5 of the CAF Regulation, failure to organise adequate security and the use of laser pointers in their TotalEnergies CAF Champions League fixture against Pyramids FC (8 April, 2025).
The Disciplinary Board found ASFAR guilty and ruled they must play one match behind closed door. This was suspended for one year.
ASFAR was also fined $20,000.
CS CONSTANTINE (ALG)
The CAF Disciplinary charged CS Constantine (Algeria) with misconduct and use of pyrotechnics during their TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup fixture against USM Alger (1 April, 2025)
CS Constantine was found guilty and fined $15 000. Additionally, the Club was ordered to pay the suspended fee of $10 000 imposed on the Club on 24 December 2024.
ESPÉRANCE SPORTIVE DE TUNIS (EST)
The CAF Disciplinary Board charged Espérance Sportive de Tunis with misconduct and breaching Articles 82 and 83 of the CAF Disciplinary Code for the inappropriate behaviour of its supporters in their TotalEnergies CAF Champions League fixture against Mamelodi Sundowns (1 April, 2025).
The Disciplinary Board found Espérance Sportive de Tunis guilty and imposed a fine of $150,000.
MAMELODI SUNDOWNS (RSA)
The CAF Disciplinary Board charged Mamelodi Sundowns to have breached Article 82 and 83.2 of the CAF Disciplinary Code as well as Articles 32 and 35 of the CAF Safety and Security Regulations arising from its TotalEnergies CAF Champions League fixture against Esperance (1 April, 2025).
The Club was found guilty and ordered to pay a fine of $100 000 and is required to strictly implement the safety and security measures specified in the CAF regulations, guidelines and directives, particularly in their upcoming matches.
MC ALGER (ALG)
The CAF Disciplinary Board charged charged MC Alger with violating Articles 82 and 83 of the CAF Disciplinary Code as well as Articles 32 and 35 of the CAF Safety and Security Regulations in their TotalEnergies CAF Champions League fixture against Orlando Pirates (1 April, 2025)
The Club was found guilty. The guilty verdict forces the execution of the suspended disciplinary sanction pronounced by the Disciplinary Panel on 24 November 2024, namely the obligation to play two (2) matches behind closed doors during its next matches of the CAF club competition, in which Club MC Alger (Algeria) will play as the host club.
MC Alger also received a fine of $10,000 for the lighting of smoke bombs and a further $ 20,000 for the use of laser pointers. Lastly, a fine of $10,000 has been imposed for the throwing of objects.
In a separate judgement arising from the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League fixture against Orlando Pirates (9 April, 2025), the CAF Disciplinary Board suspended Mr. Mohamed Khezrouni, assistant coach of MC Alger, for four (4) matches, for violating articles 82 and 123 of the CAF Disciplinary Code. A fine of $ 15,000 has also been imposed on Mr. Khazeroun.
Abdelkader Oussama Menezla, MC Alger player, was suspended for two matches, including one (1) suspended match for one year.
A fine of $100,000 has been imposed for the inappropriate behaviour of its players and officials.
ORLANDO PIRATES (RSA)
The CAF Disciplinary Board charged Orlando Pirates with misconduct and failure to organise adequate security in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League fixture against MC Alger (9 April, 2025)
The CAF Disciplinary Board found Club Official, Ezekiel Matebula, guilty and imposed a ban of four (4) matches, of which two (2) matches are suspended for a probationary period of one year, starting from the date of this decision.
Orlando Pirates players, Sipho Chaine and Nkosinathi Sibisi, were also found guilty and suspended for one match for improper conduct. Their suspensions are suspended for one year, starting from the date of the present decision.
Orlando Pirates were fined $ 50 000 for the improper conduct of their team and a further $ 20 000 for the failure to ensure adequate security.
PYRAMIDS (EGY)
The CAF Disciplinary Board charged Pyramids with misconduct and breached Article 24.1 of the CAF Stadium Regulations by failing to ensure proper ticketing and crowd control in their TotalEnergies CAF Champions League fixture against AS FAR (1 April, 2025).
Pyramids were found guilty and are ordered to pay a fine of $15 000.
USM ALGER (ALG)
The CAF Disciplinary Board charged USM Alger with breaching Articles 82 and 83 of the CAF Disciplinary Code as well as Articles 32 and 35 of the CAF Safety and Security Regulations arising from their TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup fixture against CS Constantine (1 April, 2025)
The CAF Disciplinary Board found them guilty and imposed a sanction of one match to be played behind closed doors with a suspended probationary period of one year from the date of this decision.
The Club was fined $25,000.
