Confederation of African Football (CAF) has fined Egypt national football team for failing to fulfil its media obligations following the team’s opening match against Zimbabwe national football team at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
In a statement, CAF said the seven-time African champions were handed a $5,000 fine after players and members of the technical crew failed to engage with journalists in the designated mixed zone after the final whistle. According to the governing body, the entire Egyptian delegation bypassed post-match media duties by walking past reporters without granting interviews.
CAF noted that its regulations require teams to make players and officials available to the media after matches, describing the obligation as essential to transparency and the promotion of the tournament.
Alongside the financial penalty, CAF issued a warning to Egypt, cautioning that further breaches of media regulations would result in stiffer sanctions. The body specifically referenced Egypt’s Matchday Two fixture against South Africa national football team, stressing that compliance with media protocols would be closely monitored.
CAF said it would not hesitate to impose harsher measures should Egypt fail again to meet its responsibilities, underlining that media access remains a non-negotiable aspect of the AFCON competition framework.
Egypt are scheduled to face South Africa later, with attention focused not only on their performance on the pitch but also on their adherence to tournament regulations. The incident has drawn reactions online, with some fans criticising Egypt’s conduct, while others argued that the fine did not go far enough.
