Morocco Crowned AFCON Champions After Senegal Forfeits Final in Dramatic Protest
In a stunning reversal, host nation Morocco has been officially crowned champions of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations following a decision by the CAF Appeal Board. The ruling overturned the result of the final match against Senegal, which ended in chaos after the Senegalese team walked off the pitch in protest during extra time.
CAF Ruling Awards Forfeit Victory to Morocco
The Confederation of African Football disclosed in a detailed statement on social media platform X that the appeal lodged by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation was declared admissible and upheld. This decision effectively strips Senegal of what would have been its second continental crown, instead rewarding Morocco with a retrospective 3-0 forfeit victory.
The controversy erupted deep into stoppage time of the tightly contested final in Rabat. Morocco's Brahim Diaz went down in the penalty area, and while the referee initially waved play on, a VAR review resulted in a penalty kick being awarded to the hosts. This sparked a furious reaction from the Senegalese bench, with head coach Pape Thiaw instructing his players to return to the dressing room in a protest that lasted several minutes.
Regulations Cited in Forfeit Decision
The CAF Appeal Board found that the conduct of the Senegal team fell within the scope of Articles 82 and 84 of the Africa Cup of Nations Regulations. By leaving the field of play, Senegal was deemed to have infringed on these regulations, resulting in an administrative defeat. The board's ruling sets aside the previous decision by the CAF Disciplinary Board and confirms that Morocco's protest has been fully upheld.
In its official statement, the CAF Appeal Board declared: "The Senegal National Team is declared to have forfeited the Final Match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025, with the result of the Match being recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football."
Additional Rulings on Player and Incidents
The board also addressed several other appeals related to the match. Regarding Morocco player Ismaël Saibari, the appeal was partially upheld, with his sanction amended to a suspension of two official CAF matches, one of which is suspended, and a fine of USD 100,000 set aside.
In matters concerning match incidents, the fine imposed on the Moroccan federation for the conduct of ball boys was reduced to USD 50,000, while the fine for interference around the VAR review area was confirmed at USD 100,000. Additionally, the fine for a laser incident was reduced to USD 10,000.
This historic ruling marks a dramatic conclusion to the 2025 AFCON tournament, underscoring the intense emotions and high stakes in African football. The decision reinforces the importance of adhering to competition regulations, even in moments of heated dispute.
