In a dramatic and highly controversial decision, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has stripped Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title, awarding it instead to Morocco following a chaotic final in Rabat.
The ruling, confirmed on March 17, 2026, comes nearly two months after Senegal had initially celebrated a 1-0 victory. CAF’s disciplinary committee upheld an appeal filed by Morocco’s federation, citing major rule violations during the final. The turning point came when Brahim DÃaz fell inside the penalty area late in the match. Although the referee did not award a penalty immediately, VAR intervened and overturned the decision, triggering fury from Senegal’s bench.
In protest, head coach Pape Thiaw instructed his players to leave the pitch. CAF later ruled this action as a serious breach of Articles 82 and 84, which consider abandoning a match as forfeiture.
Sadio Mané tried to convince his teammates to return and respect the game. Although they eventually came back, the incident had already influenced CAF’s final judgment. The penalty was saved, and the game continued into extra time where Pape Gueye scored what was believed to be the winning goal. However, CAF nullified the result and awarded a 3-0 victory to Morocco.
The decision has shaken African football, with Senegal announcing plans to appeal. Meanwhile, Morocco have officially been declared champions, winning the AFCON title under circumstances that will remain highly debated.
