A stunning reversal: Senegal stripped of afcon title by caf decision

The ultimate outcome of the Africa Cup of Nations final has undergone an extraordinary reversal. Two months after Senegal secured a 1-0 victory over Morocco following extra time, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially altered the match’s conclusion. In a public announcement made on Tuesday, March 17, the CAF Appeals Jury declared the Senegalese national team to have forfeited the final. This administrative sanction automatically translates into a 3-0 defeat on paper, as per competition regulations. Consequently, the official ruling now grants Morocco a 3-0 win.

In its communiqué, the CAF confirmed that « l’appel introduit par la Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football est déclaré recevable et fondé » (the appeal lodged by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation is deemed admissible and well-founded). The governing body further indicated that the conduct of the Senegalese national squad during the encounter fell « relève du champ d’application des articles 82 et 84 du règlement de la Coupe d’Afrique des nations » (within the scope of Articles 82 and 84 of the Africa Cup of Nations regulations).

As a direct consequence, the final score has been retroactively amended. The CAF explicitly stated, « l’équipe nationale du Sénégal est déclarée forfait pour ce match, dont le résultat est enregistré sur le score de 3-0 en faveur de la Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football » (the Senegal national team is declared to have forfeited this match, the result of which is recorded as a 3-0 victory for the Royal Moroccan Football Federation).

A final already mired in controversy

The AFCON 2025 final, held on January 18, was already marred by a particularly tense incident. With both teams deadlocked late in the match, the referee awarded a penalty to Morocco. This contentious decision ignited fury among several Senegalese players, with some briefly exiting the pitch before returning to resume play.

Despite the uproar, Morocco’s penalty attempt was ultimately saved by goalkeeper Édouard Mendy. Pape Gueye then scored the decisive goal for Senegal in the final moments of extra time, securing what was then believed to be their victory. At the time, despite the palpable tensions, the initial result remained unchallenged.

However, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation subsequently disputed certain occurrences during the game, formally submitting a complaint to the CAF’s disciplinary bodies.

Following a thorough review of the case, the Appeals Jury concluded that the allegations against Senegal justified the application of the regulations. This ruling therefore nullifies the original outcome and awards the championship to Morocco. The CAF reiterated that « la réserve introduite par la Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football est déclarée fondée » (the reservation submitted by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation is declared well-founded).

With this latest decision, Morocco is now officially crowned the 2025 African champion, weeks after the final was played on the field. The Senegalese federation, however, swiftly denounced the ruling as « inique » (iniquitous) and announced its intention to appeal.