18/03/2026
CAF Awards AFCON 2025 Title to Morocco After Senegal Forfeiture
The Confederation of African Football Appeal Board has ruled that the Senegal national team forfeited the final match of the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 tournament.
According to the decision, which was made in line with Article 84 of the competition’s regulations, the match has officially been awarded to Morocco with a three-nil scoreline in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football.
The ruling overturns the on-field result, which had initially seen Senegal secure a one-nil victory after extra time.
The controversy stems from a dramatic incident during the final, when Senegal players walked off the pitch in protest of a late penalty awarded to Morocco following a VAR review. The decision, involving a challenge on Moroccan forward Brahim Díaz, sparked strong reaction from the Senegal bench, led by head coach Pape Thiaw.
The walk-off caused a delay of approximately fourteen minutes before play resumed. Morocco, however, missed the resulting penalty, and Senegal later scored the winning goal in extra time through Pape Gueye.
Despite that victory, CAF later ruled that Senegal’s actions constituted a violation of competition rules, leading to the forfeiture of the match and the awarding of the title to Morocco.
The decision has since generated mixed reactions among football fans and analysts across Africa, with debates continuing over sportsmanship, officiating, and the use of VAR in high-stakes matches.
