Can 2026: Senegal stripped of title after chaotic final, Morocco awarded the trophy

Two months after a tumultuous final on January 18, 2026, the African Football Confederation (CAF) revoked Senegal’s title and awarded it to Morocco. An appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has been announced by the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF).

“Unfair and unprecedented decision” protests Senegal

The CAF Appeals Board, acting on a complaint from the Moroccan Football Federation, declared Senegal’s team forfeit in the final—despite their 1-0 victory (after extra time)—announcing the result as a 3-0 walkover in favor of Morocco. The FSF condemned the ruling as “unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable,” vowing to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne “without delay.”

Social media erupts over controversial ruling

The decision sparked a wave of outrage online. Senegalese defender Moussa Niakhaté, playing for Olympique Lyonnais, shared a photo on Instagram of himself with the Africa Cup trophy and a medal, captioning it: “Come and get them! They’ve lost their minds!” Fellow teammates quickly followed suit. The chaos began during the final in Rabat when Senegalese players temporarily left the pitch in protest after a disputed refereeing decision. A disallowed goal for Senegal was followed by a last-minute penalty awarded to Morocco in stoppage time. After 15 minutes of disruption, the Senegalese players returned, but the incident escalated into crowd disturbances as supporters threw objects and stormed the field. Moroccan winger Brahim Díaz missed the decisive penalty.

Senegal later took the lead in extra time through Pape Gueye, but the CAF ruled their actions violated tournament regulations, specifically Articles 82 and 84 of the African Cup of Nations Regulations. These state that a team refusing to play or leaving the field before the match ends is considered to have forfeited the game.

A precedent in African football

The Moroccan Football Federation clarified its appeal was not about challenging sporting performance but upholding competition rules. A similar case occurred in 2019 during the CAF Champions League final, where Wydad Casablanca walked off the pitch due to a VAR malfunction. Despite the final result standing, both federations faced heavy fines and sanctions for unsportsmanlike conduct. Meanwhile, legal proceedings for 18 Senegalese supporters, detained since the final and sentenced to 3 months to 1 year for hooliganism, have been postponed until March 30.