Senegal’s AFCON win overturned after CAF discovers ‘terms and conditions’

Confederation of African Football has declared Morocco national football team the winners of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after overturning the final result against the Senegal national football team following a controversial walk-off.

Senegal had beaten Morocco 1-0 in the final played on January 18, a match overshadowed when Senegalese players briefly refused to continue after the hosts were awarded a stoppage-time penalty with the game goalless.

After a delay of about 17 minutes, Senegal eventually returned to the pitch. Morocco’s Brahim Díaz stepped up to take the penalty, but his effort was saved before Pape Gueye scored the decisive goal in extra time.

However, the result has now been overturned following a ruling by an appeal board of African football’s governing body.

In a statement, CAF said Senegal are “declared to have forfeited the final match” with the “result of the match being recorded as 3-0 in favour” of Morocco.

The Senegalese Football Federation said it would challenge the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, describing the decision as “an unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable decision which brings discredit to African football.”

The ruling followed an appeal by Morocco’s football federation, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation. CAF said the appeal was “declared admissible in form” and subsequently upheld.

CAF explained that “through the conduct of its team” Senegal infringed Article 82 of the tournament regulations, which then made Article 84 applicable.

Article 82 states that if a team refuses to play or leaves the field before the end of regulation time without the referee’s authorization, it is considered the loser and eliminated from the competition.

Article 84 adds that any team violating Article 82 “will be permanently eliminated and will lose the match 3-0.”

In its own statement, the Moroccan federation stressed that the appeal was “never intended to challenge the sporting performance of the teams” but rather to request the “application of the competition’s regulations.”

“The federation reaffirms its commitment to respecting the rules, ensuring clarity in the competitive framework, and maintaining stability within African competitions,” the statement added.

Despite the legal reversal, the emotional memory of the night remains vivid. Earlier, a video shared on the Senegal national team’s X account showed players celebrating during a victory parade with the trophy and an “OK” emoji.

North African football journalist Maher Mezahi said the ruling would not erase what supporters witnessed.

“We cannot erase the final 16 minutes of that match and what we saw,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“We cannot erase the feelings of seeing Senegal lift the trophy and the players going home with the medal and them having a parade.”