FIFA boss Infantino criticizes 'unacceptable' Senegal conduct at chaotic Africa Cup final

Senegal leaving the field to protest referee decisions before winning the Africa Cup of Nations title amid shocking chaos was “unacceptable,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said Monday.

Infantino criticized the Senegal coaches, players and some fans for their behavior at the end of regulation time against host nation Morocco that was astonishing for the final of an international competition.

“The ugly scenes witnessed (Sunday) must be condemned and never repeated,” the FIFA leader posted on his Instagram account after attending the game in Rabat.

“I expect that the relevant disciplinary bodies at CAF (the Confederation of African Football) will take the appropriate measures,” Infantino wrote.

CAF also described the incidents as unacceptable in a later statement, and said it is “reviewing all footage and will refer the matter to competent bodies for appropriate action to be taken against those found guilty.”

That legal path was not enough for the Morocco soccer federation, which reacted to losing its home tournament — four years before it co-hosts the 2030 World Cup — with an unusual demand Monday.

The Moroccan federation said it would pursue legal action with CAF and FIFA about the Senegal players leaving the field in protest that forced a 15-minute stop in a game they would go on to win 1-0 in extra time.

Senegal coach Pape Thiaw faces severe sanctions for his part leading this players back to the locker room when Morocco was awarded a penalty in stoppage time at the end of regulation time. The spot-kick would eventually be missed in bizarre circumstances.

It is unclear if any ban imposed on Thiaw would apply just in future African competitions or at FIFA's World Cup in North America. Senegal starts its World Cup playing France on June 16 at MetLife Stadium near New York, where it also plays Norway six days later.

Senegal’s team and fans were angered by being denied what shaped as a title-winning goal early in stoppage time of a 0-0 draw when the referee called a foul to rule out the goal.

Minutes later, Morocco was awarded a penalty after a video review which judged star forward Brahim Diaz had been pulled to the ground by a Senegal defender when a corner was taken.

The controversial decision further fueled a feeling by Morocco’s opponents that the team was getting favorable decisions at a tournament which has been a showcase for co-hosting the 2030 World Cup for FIFA.

Thiaw encouraged his players to leave the field and so prevent Diaz taking the penalty kick that could decide the title. Senegal fans clashed with police at the other end of the stadium.

“It is unacceptable to leave the field of play in this manner, and equally, violence cannot be tolerated in our sport. It is simply not right,” Infantino wrote.

“We must always respect the decisions taken by the match officials on and off the field of play,” the FIFA president added. “Teams must compete on the pitch and within the Laws of the Game, because anything less puts the very essence of football at risk.”

Morocco coach Walid Regragui later called the incidents a “shameful” image of African soccer for the rest of the world to see.

When the players returned, and in the remarkable 24th minute of stoppage time, Diaz took one of the worst penalties in soccer history.

The Real Madrid forward's slow chip shot — known as a Panenka, after the Czech player who did it 50 years ago to win the European title against West Germany — was weak, low and easily saved by Senegal goalkeeper Édouard Mendy.

Diaz posted an apology to Morocco fans on social media Monday.

The game went into extra time and Senegal won it four minutes in with a powerful shot by Pape Gueye.

“My best wishes as well to Abdoulaye Fall, president of the Senegalese Football Association, and to everyone involved in this success,” Infantino wrote.

“It is also the responsibility of teams and players,” he said, “to act responsibly and set the right example for fans in the stadiums and millions watching around the world.”

The Morocco soccer federation — led by one of the most influential officials in world soccer, CAF first vice president and FIFA Council member Fouzi Lekjaa — asked those soccer bodies to rule on the Senegal team's walk off and the events surrounding it.

“This situation has had a significant impact on the normal flow of the match and on the players’ performance,” the federation said.

In sports law, decisions of the referee on the field of play typically stand and are not re-litigated later.

AP at the Africa Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-cup-of-nations

Senegal's head coach Pape Thiaw holds the trophy after winning the Africa Cup of Nations final soccer match agaisnt Morocco, in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Players from both sides clash after a controversial penalty was awarded to Morocco late on during the Africa Cup of Nations final soccer match between Senegal and Morocco in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Youssef Loulidi)

Senegal's Idrissa Gueye calls players to walk off the ptich during the Africa Cup of Nations final soccer match between Senegal and Morocco, in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

FIFA President Gianni Infantino present Morocco's Brahim Abdelkader Díaz with the trophy of the best scorer after the Africa Cup of Nations final soccer match between Senegal and Morocco, in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Senegal supporters are taken from the stadium by security officers after a controversial penalty was awarded to Morocco late on during the Africa Cup of Nations final soccer match between Senegal and Morocco in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Youssef Loulidi)

NEW YORK (AP) — With no clear end in sight, the war with Iran is sending oil prices back to $100 per barrel, and stocks are sinking worldwide on Thursday.

The S&P 500 fell 1.2% and is returning to big swings following a couple days of relative calm. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 607 points, or 1.3%, as of 11 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 1.7% lower.

The center of action was again the oil market, where the price of a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, got as high as $101.59 overnight before pulling back to $100.44, a 9.2% rise. Worries are worsening that the war could block the production of oil in the Persian Gulf for a long time and cause a debilitating surge of inflation for the global economy.

Iran's new supreme leader released his first statement Thursday since succeeding his late father, saying his country would keep up attacks on Gulf Arab neighbors and use the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz as leverage against the United States and Israel. A fifth of the world’s oil typically sails through the strait, and oil producers in the region are cutting production because their crude has nowhere to go.

Countries around the world are trying to make up for that, and the International Energy Agency said Wednesday that its members would release a record amount of oil, 400 million barrels, from their stockpiles built for such emergencies.

But such moves are short-term fixes, and they do not clear the long-term risks. Analysts have said that if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, oil prices could jump to $150.

To be sure, the U.S. stock market has a history of bouncing back relatively quickly from military conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, as long as oil prices don't stay too high for too long. Even with all the up- and- down swings of the last couple weeks, many rocking markets hour to hour, the S&P 500 is still just roughly 4% below its all-time high set in January.

What’s made this jump for oil prices frightening is not only the degree — prices jumped near $120 earlier this week to their highest level since 2022 — but that they’re also occurring during an uncertain time for the economy.

Last month’s report on hiring by U.S. employers was surprisingly weak, which raised worries about a possible worst-case scenario for the economy called “stagflation.” That’s one where economic growth stagnates while inflation remains high. And it's a miserable mix that the Federal Reserve has no good tools to fix.

A more encouraging signal arrived Thursday. A report said that the number of U.S. workers applying for unemployment benefits inched lower last week. That’s a sign that layoffs are potentially remaining low around the country.

Dollar General, meanwhile, reported better profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. But the retailer with relatively low prices, whose customers often have the least cushion to absorb higher gasoline prices, gave forecasts for revenue this upcoming year that indicated a slowdown in growth. Its stock fell 5.8%.

Some of the worst losses on Wall Street again hit companies with big fuel bills. United Airlines sank 3.9%, and cruise-ship operator Carnival fell 5.7%.

Worries about the private-credit industry continued to hurt the market. Investors have been rushing to pull their money out of some funds and companies that have lent to businesses whose profits are potentially under threat. Many of the worries are focused on business that could be made obsolete by new AI-powered rivals and may not pay back their loans.

Morgan Stanley fell 4% after its North Haven Private Income fund said it allowed investors to redeem only 5% of its total shares instead of the nearly 11% they had requested. That 5% cap is the advertised limit.

In stock markets abroad, indexes fell across Europe and Asia.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropped 1%, and France’s CAC 40 sank 0.9% for two of the world’s bigger moves.

In the bond market, Treasury yields continued to climb because of upward pressure from rising oil prices. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.24% from 4.21% late Wednesday and from just 3.97% before the war started.

Higher yields help make all kinds of borrowing more expensive, such as mortgages for potential U.S. homebuyers and bond offerings for companies looking to expand. They also push down on prices for all kinds of investments, from stocks to crypto.

Because of the spike for oil prices, traders have pushed back forecasts for when the Fed could resume its cuts to interest rates. President Donald Trump has been angrily calling for such cuts, which would give the economy and job market a boost but also potentially worsen inflation.

A barrel of benchmark U.S. crude rose 10.1% to $96.12.

AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.

An earlier version of the story incorrectly reported the percentage drop for United Airlines’ stock.

Gregg Maloney works on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Gas prices are displayed at a station Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in Evanston Ill. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Pedestrians mill about outside the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

The New York Stock Exchange is seen in New York, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)