Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially declared Morocco winners of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after overturning the final result against Senegal, following a dramatic protest that saw the Senegalese team walk off the pitch.
The ruling, delivered by the CAF Appeal Board, confirmed a retrospective 3–0 forfeit victory in favour of the host nation after chaotic scenes during extra time in Rabat.
In its statement, CAF said the appeal lodged by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) was “declared admissible in form and the appeal is upheld,” effectively nullifying the earlier decision and stripping Senegal of what would have been their second continental title.
The controversy stemmed from a late incident involving Brahim Díaz, who went down in the penalty area during stoppage time. Although the referee initially waved play on, a VAR review awarded a penalty to Morocco, triggering a furious reaction from the Senegal bench.
Head coach Pape Thiaw subsequently instructed his players to leave the field in protest, an action the CAF Appeal Board ruled to be in violation of tournament regulations.
“The conduct of the Senegal team falls within the scope of Articles 82 and 84 of the Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations,” CAF stated, adding that the team’s actions constituted an infringement leading to an administrative defeat.
CAF further ruled:
“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… with the result of the Match being recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF).”
The board also confirmed:
“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 protest lodged by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) is upheld.”
Despite the walk-off, Sadio Mané later convinced teammates to return and complete the match. Reflecting on the incident, he said:
“When they decided to go out and not play, I stayed and asked some people, ‘What do you think about this? Is it a good idea or not?’ Then I decided to go and bring everyone back to the pitch. I think it is the best thing to do… What matters is respecting the game. It is not fair to stop a match like this.”
The Appeal Board also addressed crowd-related incidents during the match, imposing financial sanctions on Morocco’s federation. A $100,000 fine for “interference around the OFR/VAR review area” was upheld, while penalties for laser use and misconduct involving ball boys were reduced to $10,000 and $50,000 respectively.
While Morocco emerge as champions, the ruling marks a dramatic and controversial chapter in AFCON history, with Senegal losing the title off the pitch despite their on-field efforts.
