Morocco have been officially declared winners of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after the CAF Appeal Board overturned Senegal’s victory in the final and awarded the match 3-0 by forfeit to the hosts. CAF confirmed the ruling on 17 March 2026, stating that Senegal had infringed Articles 82 and 84 of the tournament regulations.
The decision comes two months after the controversial final in Rabat, where Senegal had originally beaten Morocco 1-0 after extra time. However, the match became the subject of an appeal after Senegal temporarily left the pitch in protest following a late penalty awarded to Morocco. CAF’s Appeal Board ruled that this conduct fell within the scope of the regulations covering teams leaving the field without authorisation, and it therefore recorded the result as a 3-0 victory for Morocco.
CAF’s official statement said the appeal lodged by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation was upheld, the earlier disciplinary decision was set aside, and Senegal were declared to have forfeited the final. The governing body also confirmed that all other motions not specifically upheld were dismissed.
The ruling has caused major controversy across African football, not least because Senegal had initially retained the title after the first disciplinary decision. The appeal outcome has now completely reversed that verdict, handing Morocco what is being described as their first AFCON crown since 1976.
Senegal are now expected to challenge the decision further, with multiple reports stating that the Senegalese federation intends to take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.
Morocco, for their part, said their position was never about disputing the sporting value of the teams involved, but about seeking the application of the competition’s regulations. The case has nevertheless triggered widespread debate, with the extraordinary outcome marking one of the most dramatic legal twists ever seen in the modern history of the Africa Cup of Nations
