The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Disciplinary Committee has handed a two-match suspension to goalkeeper Luca Zidane for unsporting behaviour during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The ban will be served during the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.
Defender Rafik Belghali was also sanctioned with a four-match ban, two of which are suspended, to be applied during the same qualifiers.
CAF further fined the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) $5,000 after Algerian players accumulated five yellow cards in a single match, a violation of Article 130(a) of the CAF Disciplinary Code.
An additional $25,000 fine was imposed for misconduct by players and officials following the final whistle, actions deemed detrimental to the integrity of the game under Articles 82 and 83 of the Code.
Supporter-related violations also drew penalties. The FAF was fined $5,000 each for the use of smoke bombs and for the throwing of objects, and $10,000 for security breaches after fans attempted to force entry through stadium barriers. A further $50,000 fine was issued for offensive gestures by supporters toward match officials, including the display of banknotes.
In response, the FAF confirmed it would immediately launch an appeal in line with CAF regulations and pledged to closely monitor the process, emphasizing its commitment to defending Algerian football while adhering to all official procedures.
