Several months after the Africa Cup of Nations final, where the national team of Sénégal defeated Maroc 1-0, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has delivered a sharp warning to all national squads. This message arrives just weeks before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The AFCON final was overshadowed by a major refereeing controversy. The Congolese official, Jean-Jacques Ndella, had awarded a penalty to Maroc while simultaneously disallowing a goal for Sénégal. In a show of defiance, the Sénégal players, under the guidance of coach Pape Thiaw, walked off the pitch for roughly ten minutes before eventually returning to finish the match.

Despite the disruption, the Lions of Teranga managed to secure their second continental crown thanks to a goal from Pape Guèye, sealing the win for Sénégal.

New disciplinary measures for the 2026 World Cup

Looking ahead to the upcoming global tournament, Gianni Infantino was clear about the strict enforcement of match regulations. He emphasized that the governing body will not tolerate teams abandoning the field of play. “Starting with the World Cup, any team that chooses to leave the pitch to protest officiating will be issued red cards and will lose the match by forfeit!”

This firm stance serves as a preventative measure to ensure that the events seen during the AFCON final are not repeated on the world’s biggest football stage.