The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has ordered African champions Senegal and Nigeria to play one match behind closed doors after crowd disorder during last month’s 2022 World Cup playoffs. The Senegalese national team has been sanctioned by Fifa for incidents that occurred during the second leg of the World Cup 2022 qualifying play-off between Senegal and Egypt (1-0, 3-1 on penalties) in Dakar on 29 March.
The sanction comes with a fine of 175,000 Swiss francs (170,866 euros), FIFA said in a statement on Monday, May 2.
In addition to a general breach of “security rules” and the maintenance of order in the Abdoulaye-Wade stadium in Diamniadio, near Dakar, football’s supreme body noted the throwing of objects, the use of lasers and smoke bombs in the stands, and an “offensive” banner.
Egypt was sanctioned over “team misconduct (6 individual sanctions)”. The north African nation will have to pay a 6,000 Swiss francs (5,835 euros) fine.
Nigeria was handed a 150,000 Swiss francs (146, 038 euros) fine and one-game stadium closure. Fans invaded the pitch in Abuja among other incidents which occured after Nigeria was eliminated at home by Ghana in their playoff.
The Algerian Federation will also have to pay a fine of 3,000 Swiss francs (2,929 euros) for lighting smoke and throwing objects during the Algeria-Cameroon play-off (1-2 a.p.) on 29 March in Blida.
The sanctions do not prejudge a possible sporting decision, however, after Algeria appealed to Fifa to have the match replayed because of the “scandalous refereeing”, according to the Algerian Federation, of Gambian Bakary Gassama.
It was the first time that a goal in the last second of extra time by Karl-Toko Ekambi (120th+4th) had put the Fennecs out of the running for a place at the World Cup in Qatar, after they had thought they had secured their ticket to the tournament with a 118th-minute goal.
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