The Confederation of African Football has officially named Morocco as winners of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025.
The update was confirmed on Monday, following a ruling by CAF’s Appeals Board issued on Tuesday, 18 March 2026.
CAF updated its official records to list Morocco as champions, with Senegal as runners-up and Nigeria finishing third.
The Appeals Board overturned the original final result played on Saturday, 18 January 2026, in Rabat.
The match has now been recorded as a 3-0 victory in favour of Morocco.
Senegal had initially won the final 1-0 after extra time, with Pape Gueye scoring the decisive goal.
However, the game was marred by controversy after Senegalese players staged a brief walk-off.
The protest followed a disputed stoppage-time penalty awarded to Morocco.
CAF Ruling
CAF ruled that Senegal’s actions amounted to a forfeit under its regulations.
“The Senegal National Team is declared to have forfeited the Final Match,” CAF said in a statement.
It added that the result would be recorded as a 3-0 win for Morocco.
The decision has triggered widespread debate across the football community.
Critics argue that the ruling undermines the outcome decided on the pitch.
Senegal’s football federation has rejected the verdict and announced plans to appeal.
Senegal is expected to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
A final decision could take several months, and possibly up to a year.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe defended the process, stressing the need to uphold competition rules.
The ruling hands Morocco their second AFCON title.
It also raises fresh concerns about governance and disciplinary decisions in African football.
The case could set a precedent for how future disputes are handled.
Background
The Africa Cup of Nations is the continent’s biggest football tournament.
The 2025 edition was hosted by Morocco, with high expectations across Africa.
Disciplinary rulings and appeals have played decisive roles in past CAF competitions, but rarely at this scale.
Discover more from VOICE OF THE PEOPLE
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
