Fair Play Award for stealing towels? Reactions as Morocco wins CAF Award

The Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) decision to award Morocco the Fair Play Team of the Tournament at the conclusion of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 has ignited widespread controversy across African football.

Despite Morocco finishing as runners-up and receiving just one yellow card throughout the tournament, fans and analysts argue that the award ignores a series of obvious incidents that appeared to contradict the very spirit of fair play.

At the center of the backlash is a recurring and now infamous tactic: the deliberate stealing or hiding of opposition goalkeepers’ towels.

CAF traditionally bases its Fair Play Award on disciplinary records, with emphasis on yellow and red cards. On paper, Morocco’s discipline appeared exemplary.

However, critics argue that this narrow metric failed to capture persistent unsportsmanlike behavior that went largely unpunished by match officials, raising concerns about how “fair play” is evaluated.

The controversy first gained traction during Morocco’s semi-final clash against Nigeria, when a stadium steward was caught on camera running onto the pitch to take Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali’s towel.

The issue escalated dramatically in the final against Senegal.

Footage circulating widely on social media showed ball boys repeatedly attempting to steal or hide goalkeeper Édouard Mendy’s towel, while Moroccan players were seen either participating or failing to intervene.

Senegal’s backup goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf was forced to chase ball boys around the touchline, leading to heated confrontations.

In rainy conditions, towels are essential for grip and safety for goalkeepers.

In Morocco’s group-stage match against Tanzania, controversial refereeing decisions fueled chants and online accusations of institutional favoritism.

While CAF has not officially addressed these claims, the accumulation of incidents contributed to a growing sense of frustration among supporters across the continent.

The Fair Play announcement triggered an immediate backlash on X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, and other platforms.

Fans mocked the decision with sarcastic nicknames such as: “The Towel d’Or”, and “Fair Play for Stealing Towels”

Some supporters defended Morocco, citing the pressure of hosting and the team’s undeniable quality. But those voices were heavily outnumbered by critics questioning CAF’s credibility.