In one of the most dramatic rulings in the history of African football, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has stripped Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title and officially declared Morocco champions after determining that Senegal forfeited the tournament final.
CAF’s Appeal Board ruled that Senegal’s conduct during the match breached competition regulations and therefore resulted in forfeiture. The match has now been recorded as a 3–0 victory for Morocco, overturning Senegal’s earlier 1–0 win in the final.
The governing body said the decision was based on findings that Senegal’s players temporarily leaving the pitch in protest of a refereeing decision violated tournament rules, specifically Articles 82 and 84 of AFCON regulations, which address refusal to play or abandonment of a match.
CAF Appeal Board Declares Match Forfeited
According to CAF, the ruling formally declares that the Senegal national team forfeited the AFCON 2025 final, with Morocco therefore awarded a 3–0 administrative victory.
The decision reverses an earlier determination by CAF’s Disciplinary Board and represents an extraordinary post-match intervention by the continental governing body.
CAF stated:
“The Senegal national team is declared to have forfeited the match, with the result officially recorded as 3–0 in favour of Morocco.”
The Appeal Board concluded that the temporary walk-off by Senegalese players late in the match constituted a breach of competition regulations, triggering automatic sanctions under the AFCON rulebook.
What Happened During the AFCON Final
The AFCON 2025 final, played in Rabat at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, initially ended with Senegal winning 1–0 after extra time.
But controversy erupted during stoppage time when Senegal’s players briefly left the field in protest against a refereeing decision following a disputed VAR review.
The walk-off halted the match for several minutes and triggered tensions among fans inside the stadium before play eventually resumed.
Senegal went on to score in extra time and were originally crowned champions — until Morocco filed a formal protest with CAF.
Morocco Also Sanctioned
While Morocco ultimately benefited from the Appeal Board’s ruling, CAF also imposed sanctions on the host nation for several incidents that occurred during the final.
CAF confirmed that Morocco faced financial penalties related to crowd behaviour, the conduct of ball boys, and interference around the VAR review area during the match. Morocco midfielder Ismaël Saibari was also sanctioned.
The player received a two-match suspension, although one match was suspended, for misconduct during the match. CAF also set aside a previously imposed fine related to the case.
One of the Most Controversial AFCON Verdicts
The ruling effectively rewrites the outcome of the 2025 AFCON tournament and is likely to remain one of the most controversial verdicts in the competition’s history.
Instead of Senegal securing another continental title, Morocco now officially become AFCON 2025 champions, with the final result recorded as a 3–0 administrative victory.
Such post-final reversals are extremely rare in international football and could trigger further legal disputes, including a potential appeal by Senegal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
For Morocco, however, the ruling ends decades of near-misses in continental tournaments and delivers a long-awaited return to the summit of African football.
