The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially announced that Morocco are the champions of AFCON 2025 following an appeal decision that overturned the result of the final played earlier in 2026.
A Decision That Sparked Major Debate
In a move that has shaken African football, CAF’s appeals committee nullified Senegal’s victory and instead awarded Morocco a 3-0 win by forfeit.
The decision stemmed from an unusual incident during the final, where Senegal players walked off the pitch in protest of a late penalty awarded to Morocco.
Although Senegal later returned to the field and went on to win the match 1-0 after extra time, CAF ruled that leaving the pitch constituted a violation of competition regulations.
Rules Applied
According to CAF regulations (particularly Article 84), any team that leaves the field without the referee’s permission is considered to have forfeited the match.
As a result, the official score was revised to a 3-0 victory for Morocco, awarding them their second AFCON title since 1976.
A Highly Controversial Final
The final, played in Rabat, was marked by several contentious moments:
- Disputed penalty awarded to Morocco
- Senegal temporarily walking off the pitch
- Senegal’s extra-time winning goal
CAF later determined that these events breached competition discipline, ultimately rewriting the outcome of the tournament.
Backlash from Senegal
The decision has not been well received in Senegal. Football authorities there have labeled it unfair and are planning to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The incident has sparked widespread debate over:
- Fairness in football decisions
- Enforcement of competition rules
- Influence within African football
Morocco Make History
For Morocco, the victory is seen as proof of discipline and adherence to the rules of the game. Their federation emphasized that the appeal was about protecting the integrity of the competition, not questioning Senegal’s performance on the pitch.
This win further strengthens Morocco’s status as one of the dominant forces in African football today.
