AFCON result overturned as CAF declares Morocco winners

The Confederation of African Football has declared Morocco the winners of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, overturning the result of the final in which Senegal had been crowned champions.

CAF ruled on Tuesday that Senegal forfeited the match after their players briefly walked off the pitch during the final in Rabat on January 18 in protest at a late penalty decision. The result has been recorded as 3-0 in Morocco’s favour.

The incident occurred in the closing minutes of regulation time after Morocco’s Brahim Diaz was brought down in the penalty area. Diaz missed the resulting spot kick, and the match went to extra time, where Pape Gueye scored to give Senegal a 1-0 victory and what appeared to be their second AFCON title after their 2021 triumph against Egypt.

Morocco subsequently filed an appeal with CAF, arguing that Senegal’s walkout constituted a premature end to the match under tournament regulations.

CAF agreed, citing Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON regulations. Article 82 states that any team that leaves the pitch without the referee’s authorisation before the end of a match shall be considered the loser and eliminated from the competition. Article 84 stipulates that the offending team forfeits 3-0 unless the opponent had already achieved a more favourable scoreline.

“The CAF Appeal Board further finds that the conduct of the Senegal team falls within the scope of Articles 82 and 84,” the ruling said.

Neither the Moroccan nor the Senegalese football federations had officially responded to the decision at the time of publication.

Senegal retains the right to challenge the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which serves as the final independent authority on competition disputes, including forfeits and eligibility.

The decision hands Morocco their second AFCON title, 49 years after it won the tournament in 1976.

SOURCE: MRA