The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeal Board has stripped Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, awarding the trophy to Morocco, following a dramatic ruling on March 17.
Senegal had initially defeated Morocco 1–0 in the final played on January 18, 2026, in Rabat, Morocco. However, the match descended into chaos after Senegal players walked off the pitch in protest against a late penalty awarded to Morocco.
Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw instructed his players to leave the field, causing a disruption that lasted approximately 15 minutes and significantly impacted the closing stages of the match.
Following a review, CAF’s Appeal Board ruled that Senegal’s actions constituted a breach of tournament regulations, specifically under Article 84, which governs forfeitures.
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As a result, the match has been officially recorded as a 3–0 forfeit victory in favour of Morocco, handing the title to the Atlas Lions.
The CAF Appeal Board decided that, in application of Article 84 of the AFCON regulations, the Senegal National Team is declared to have forfeited the final match, with the result recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football,” a CAF statement reads.
The decision follows an appeal by Morocco’s football federation and comes weeks after initial sanctions against Senegal were widely criticised as too lenient.
The ruling marks a significant and controversial reversal, with Morocco now officially recognised as the champions of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
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