Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye received, on Sunday in Dakar, 15 Senegalese supporters who were released from Moroccan prisons, following a royal pardon from King Mohammed VI, against the backdrop of riots that occurred during the African Cup of Nations final hosted by Morocco between December 21, 2025, and January 18, 2026.
The Senegalese newspaper "Le Soleil" reported that President Diomaye Faye decided to give each supporter two million African francs (about 3,000 euros), in addition to a sacrificial animal for Eid, as part of supporting them financially and morally after their return to their country. The source added that the Senegalese president fulfilled his promise to the fans as soon as they arrived in Dakar, in a move aimed at consoling them and alleviating the effects of the detention period, which lasted approximately 125 days for most of them. The newspaper also clarified that a number of fans had returned to Senegal earlier, while 15 others arrived in the last hours, amid an official and popular reception. This file witnessed intense diplomatic follow-up by the Senegalese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with the Senegalese embassy in Rabat and the Senegalese Football Federation, within the framework of official coordination between the two sides. The newspaper considered that this initiative, related to the Moroccan royal pardon, reflected important humanitarian dimensions and contributed to strengthening relations between Morocco and Senegal.
