The Confederation of African Football has overturned Senegal’s Africa Cup of Nations triumph, declaring Morocco as the new winners following a controversial ruling by its Appeal Board.
The decision relates to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025, where Senegal had initially been crowned champions after defeating Morocco 1–0 in a tense encounter.
Okay News reports that the ruling follows an appeal lodged by Moroccan authorities after chaotic scenes during the final, which saw Senegal’s team walk off the pitch in protest over a late penalty decision.
The CAF Appeal Board determined that the actions of the Senegalese team constituted a breach of tournament regulations, warranting a forfeiture of the match.
In its official statement, CAF said: “The Confédération Africaine de Football (“CAF”) Appeal Board decided today that in application of Article 84 of the Regulations of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Senegal National Team is declared to have forfeited the Final Match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 (“the Match”).
”With the result of the Match being recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF).”
The ruling effectively reverses the original outcome of the final, awarding Morocco a 3–0 victory by default.
Senegal, coached by Pape Thiaw, had celebrated what appeared to be a historic win before the dispute escalated into a formal complaint.
CAF said its decision was based on violations of Articles 82 and 84 of the competition’s regulations, which govern team conduct and disciplinary procedures during official matches.
The development marks one of the most dramatic reversals in the history of African football, raising fresh questions about disciplinary enforcement and match governance at the highest level of the sport.
Morocco’s football federation, formally known as the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF), had challenged the match outcome, citing the disruption and abandonment of play following the disputed penalty decision.
