Nigerians have called on the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to take urgent action after Moroccan fans used laser lights to distract Super Falcons players during the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final in Rabat.
The Super Falcons defeated Morocco 3-2 in a hard-fought match to lift their 10th WAFCON title. However, the victory was overshadowed by the controversial use of green laser pointers by home fans, which were aimed at Nigerian players during key moments of the game.
Players such as Esther Okoronkwo and Michelle Alozie were visibly affected by the lasers, especially during penalty kicks and set pieces. The Falcons’ head coach, Justin Madugu, also revealed that he was targeted by the lasers throughout the match.
“In fact, the lasers weren’t used on the players alone—even myself,” Madugu said after the game. “They kept pointing those lasers at me. I don’t think it’s proper that this should continue.”
The incident has sparked outrage on social media, with many Nigerians accusing CAF of failing to enforce its own safety rules. Some fans even threatened that if nothing is done, future visiting fans may retaliate with their own laser devices.
This is not the first time such incidents have occurred in African football. In March 2022, during a World Cup qualifier between Senegal and Egypt, Senegalese fans used lasers to blind Egyptian players during the penalty shootout. Egyptian captain Mohamed Salah missed his spot kick as green lasers lit up his face.
There have also been multiple cases in the CAF Champions League. In 2023, Moroccan side Wydad AC’s fans used lasers to distract Simba SC’s goalkeeper, and in April this year, CAF sanctioned Moroccan and Algerian clubs for similar offences.
According to FIFA regulations, laser pointers are banned from stadiums as they can distract players and match officials. Article 16 of FIFA’s Disciplinary Code also makes teams liable for the actions of their fans, including the use of banned items like lasers.
Many Nigerian fans are now demanding that CAF enforce stricter penalties to protect players and ensure fair play in future matches.
