There have been growing concerns over the use of laser lights/pointers to target players during different Confederation of African Football (CAF) competitions.

Most recently, laser lights were used to target Nigeria’s Super Falcons players during their 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final victory against Morocco at the weekend.

Waploaded recalls that the Super Falcons defeated Morocco 3-2 to lift their 10th WAFCON title.

But during the encounter at the Stade Olympique de Rabat Stadium, laser lights were seen on the faces of Super Falcons players like Esther Okoronkwo and Michelle Alozie to blind them, particularly during penalty kicks, free kicks, and throw-ins.

The hosts’ fans used the laser lights as a tactic to distract and disrupt opponents.

Speaking on the development after Nigeria defeated Morocco, Super Falcons head coach, Justin Madugu, expressed sadness over the use of laser lights by Moroccan fans on his players.

He also disclosed that the laser lights were used on him during the match.

“In fact, the lasers weren’t applied on the players alone, even myself. They kept pointing those lasers at me,” Madugu said at his post-match interview.

“I don’t know if it is proper that this type of situation should continue. I don’t think it is proper,” he said.

Following the final encounter, some football fans took to their social media accounts to criticise CAF for its inaction in addressing these incidents, with some calling for stronger measures to stop the use of laser pointers and ensure fair play.

Others even suggested that fans should bring their own laser pointers to stadiums to retaliate.

Also, it will be recalled that such unsportsmanlike behaviour happened in the World Cup play-off match between Egypt and Senegal in Dakar.

Egypt lost their playoff game against Senegal for a spot at the 2022 World Cup.

But one major talking point of the match was the use of laser lights by Senegalese fans to blind the Egyptian players throughout the encounter, including the penalty shootout.

Egypt missed three out of their four penalties under immense distraction by the opposition fans.

The first of those misses was by captain Mohamed Salah, as his face was green with laser lights when he played the ball over the goalpost.

Similarly, on 28 April 2023, laser lights were used by Wydad AC’s fans to torment Simba goalkeeper Ally Salim Juma in the CAF Champions League quarter-final second leg tie between both teams.

The match ended in a 1-1 aggregate draw, and Wydad went on to win 4-3 on penalties as the hosts’ fans used laser lights to distract and blind Juma from seeing properly.

Also, in April this year, the CAF Disciplinary Board charged Moroccan club AS FAR with misconduct over failure to organise adequate security and the use of laser pointers in their CAF Champions League fixture against Pyramids FC.