Senegal have been stripped of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title and the trophy has been awarded to Morocco, it has been announced by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), NBC Sports reports.
A quite remarkable ruling has handed Morocco the title after the final on January, 18 2026 turned into chaos in Rabat, Morocco.
Two months on from that unbelievable final, Morocco are officially champions of Africa.
After hosts Morocco we awarded a penalty kick late in normal time the players of Senegal walked off the pitch with the support of their head coach. They eventually went back onto the pitch and Brahim Diaz missed the penalty kick, as the game went to extra time.
Senegal would go on to win the game 1-0 and be crowned champions, but Morocco were furious and launched an official appeal against the outcome of the game.
That appeal been successful and CAF have ruled that Senegal was “declared to have forfeited the final” with the result now being recorded as a 3-0 win for Morocco.
That means that Morocco are now officially the African champions for the first time since 1976.
“The CAF Appeal Board decided 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),” a statement from CAF reads.
“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).
“On the appeal by the FRMF regarding the application of Articles 82 and 84 of the Regulations of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the CAF Appeal Board made the following rulings:
– “The appeal lodged by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) is declared admissible in form and the appeal is upheld.
– The CAF Disciplinary Board decision is set aside.
– The CAF Appeal Board further finds that the conduct of the Senegal team falls within the scope of Articles 82 and 84 of the Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations.
– The protest lodged by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) is upheld.
– It is declared that the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF), through the conduct of its team, infringed Article 82 of the Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations.
– In application of Article 84 of the Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations, the Senegal team is declared to have forfeited the match, with the result recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF).
Also Read: We’re Ready To Replace Morocco As WAFCON Hosts —South Africa Minister Of Sports
– All other motions or prayers for relief are dismissed.”
The CAF Appeal Board also ruled that:
– “The appeal lodged in respect of Mr Ismaël Saibari (Player No. 11 of the Morocco National Team) is partially upheld.
– The CAF Appeal Board confirms the finding that Mr Ismaël Saibari (Player No. 11 of the Morocco National Team) committed misconduct in violation of Articles 82 and 83(1) of the CAF Disciplinary Code.
– The sanction imposed on Mr Ismaël Saibari (Player No. 11 of the Morocco National Team) is amended to a suspension of two (2) official CAF matches, of which one (1) match is suspended.
– The fine of USD 100,000 imposed on Mr Ismaël Saibari (Player No. 11 of the Morocco National Team) is set aside.
– The appeal lodged in respect of the ball boys incident is partially upheld.
– The CAF Appeal Board confirms the finding that the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) is responsible for the conduct of the ball boys during the aforementioned match.
– The fine imposed on the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) in respect of the ball boys incident is reduced to USD 50,000.
– The appeal lodged in respect of the interference around the OFR/VAR review area is dismissed.
– The fine of USD 100,000 imposed on the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) in respect of the interference around the OFR/VAR review area is confirmed.
– The appeal lodged in respect of the laser incident is partially upheld.
– The fine imposed on the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) in respect of the laser incident is reduced to USD 10,000.
– All other motions or prayers for relief are dismissed.”
13 Comments
I believe this must be April fools in March.
Oh my God! What did I just read??? Mehn I can’t believe it…..
What of Morocco’s shenanigans? Towel grabbing, laser pointing, refs cheating? CAF should disqualify them too, which makes Nigeria the official champions. If they are not ready to do this, then let Senegal keep the trophy. L
Joke of the millennium, caf this won’t glorify you.
Africa is a joke
This is unbelievable.
Omo this is too harsh for me o..stripping senegal a whole afcon title for walking off the pitch for a perceive injustice and violent misconduct(which both teams are guilty of) is fcking harsh man…
Heavy fines would have been okay and then deduction of points like 4 points from the next afcon games would have been okay…Thats for the team that is found guilty…
But I sense maybe the alligation of senegal going into the dressing room to do some black magic that was raised by the coach of morocco. CAF received some evidence and found it to be true after investigation but are not willing to come out open and say so inorder not to sound fetish absurd and above all is not part of football….
I am waiting to hear from senegal…omo this movie go long o…lol…I no expect senegal to take this news calmly o…lol…like wetin go come happen to all the lands, and money wey the president of senegal gift the players for winning the afcon title???… like them go return am back??? Lmao…this sh!t is honestly funny…..
Harsh decision indeed but if it’s written in the CAF constitution that abandoning a match means automatic win for the opposite team, then Morocco have a case.
For me heavy fine is okay, this definitely going to be a long thing.
My sentiment exactly. While this feels like favoritism and a desperate attempt to appease Morocco by CAF, Senegal coach Pape Thiaw’s instruction to his players to leave the field was both rash and irresponsible.
It is the coach who should be calming his players and urging them to return to the field, and not the other way round. Rather it was Mane who was the big guy that day.
2 wrong do not make a right. If it’s allowed to stand, that scenario will be repeated in subsequent Afcons once a team feels “robbed”.
Abandoning a match is an automatic forfeiture by 3 -0.
@Kel, overriding the ref? The referee was there and should have ended the game if he thought it was abandoned, he was in constant communication with other CAF officials during the game. CAF’s just trying to appease Morocco.
Morocco is twisting CAF’s arms. They’re holding CAF by the balls. Threatening not to host WAFCON, invest in African football and all. CAF just has to appease them.
If you go to the store and you steal an item, and then return it, are you still a thief?
Senegal left the pitch, but they came back. The ref and match officials should have enforced the walkover rule immediately Senegal left the pitch. They didn’t. Instead, Senegal was allowed back to continue the game, which they then won fair and square.
Senegal did not abandon the game. They came back. This is their trophy.
If Senegal is stripped of the trophy, Nigeria should also file a complaint against Morocco and have the trophy stripped from them too.
A ridiculous decision in my opinion.