AFCON 2025: CAF recovers stolen matchball from Algerian official

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has recovered a match ball stolen during Wednesday’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 group match between Algeria and Equatorial Guinea at the Moulay Hassan Stadium in Morocco.

Tournament officials discovered after the final whistle that two of the 15 balls allocated for the match were missing, prompting an immediate review of the incident.

Security footage later showed a member of the Algerian technical crew taking one of the balls during halftime and concealing it under his clothing. CAF officials subsequently visited the Algerian team’s dressing room to investigate the matter.

Although the staff initially denied involvement, the ball was returned after officials presented video evidence confirming the act. The second missing ball has yet to be recovered.

CAF monitors described the incident as unprofessional, noting that it raised concerns about discipline and compliance with competition regulations.

The Confederation said it is assessing the situation and reiterated the need for strict adherence to organisational and conduct standards at major international tournaments.