‎Senegal’s AFCON triumph cancelled as CAF awards Morocco final win

‎Morocco have been declared winners of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeal Board overturned the original final result against Senegal, awarding the hosts a 3-0 victory following a dramatic walk-off by the West African side.
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‎The decision comes after chaotic scenes during the final in Rabat, where Senegal players briefly abandoned the pitch in protest after a controversial penalty decision late in the game. The ruling strips Senegal of what would have been their second AFCON title.
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‎In its official statement, CAF confirmed that the appeal filed by the Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) was successful, with the Appeal Board finding Senegal guilty of breaching tournament regulations.
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‎“The appeal lodged by the FRMF is declared admissible in form and the appeal is upheld,” the statement read. “In application of Article 84 of the AFCON regulations, the Senegal team is declared to have forfeited the match, with the result recorded as 3–0 in favour of Morocco.”
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‎The controversy stemmed from a tense moment deep in stoppage time when Morocco’s Brahim Diaz went down in the penalty area. Although the referee initially waved play on, a VAR review resulted in a penalty being awarded to the hosts.
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‎The decision sparked outrage on the Senegal bench, with head coach Pape Thiaw instructing his players to walk off the pitch in protest. The CAF Appeal Board later ruled that this action violated Articles 82 and 84 of the competition’s regulations, which govern team conduct and forfeiture.
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‎Despite the walk-off, forward Sadio Mane intervened and urged his teammates to return and complete the match. Speaking after the game, Mane emphasized the importance of respecting the sport.
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‎“When they decided to go out and not play, I stayed and asked whether it was a good idea,” Mane said. “I decided to bring everyone back because this is football. Referees can make mistakes, but what matters is respecting the game.”
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‎Play eventually resumed, with Diaz missing the resulting penalty. The match remained goalless before Senegal took the lead in extra time through Papa Gueye, seemingly sealing victory on the pitch before the later administrative reversal.
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‎CAF’s ruling also addressed misconduct during the match. Morocco’s federation was fined $100,000 for interference around the VAR review area after officials were reportedly harassed. Additional fines included $10,000 for laser use by fans and $50,000 related to ball boy incidents, though some penalties were reduced on appeal.