African football has been sent into a state of shock after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeals Jury officially stripped Senegal of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, handing the trophy to tournament hosts Morocco.
The decision, announced late Tuesday, overturns the result of the final played on January 18, 2026. While Senegal originally won the match 1–0 after extra time, they have now been hit with a 3–0 forfeit defeat following a successful appeal by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF).
The controversy stems from the chaotic closing moments of the final in Rabat. With the match deadlocked at 0–0 in stoppage time, referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded a penalty to Morocco following a VAR review.
In an unprecedented move, Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw instructed his players to leave the pitch in protest. The “Lions of Teranga” remained off the field for nearly 15 minutes before returning to complete the game.
Although Brahim Díaz missed the subsequent penalty and Senegal went on to score the winner in extra time, CAF has now ruled that the act of walking off constituted an official abandonment of the match.
In a detailed statement, the CAF Appeal Board cited Articles 82 and 84 of the tournament regulations, which deal with match abandonment and team conduct. “The Senegal National Team is declared to have forfeited the Final Match… with the result being recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Federation Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF),” the CAF ruling stated.
This landmark decision means:
Morocco are officially the 2025 AFCON Champions (their first title since 1976).
Senegal lose their status as champions and must return the trophy and medals.
Pape Thiaw faces heavy sanctions for his role in the walk-off.
The ruling is final within CAF’s jurisdiction, but the legal battle is likely far from over. The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) is expected to file an urgent appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland.
AFCON Winners Since 2000
2000 — 🇨🇲 Cameroon
2002 — 🇨🇲 Cameroon
2004 — 🇹🇳 Tunisia
2006 — 🇪🇬 Egypt
2008 — 🇪🇬 Egypt
2010 — 🇪🇬 Egypt
2012 — 🇿🇲 Zambia
2013 — 🇳🇬 Nigeria
2015 — 🇨🇮 Ivory Coast
2017 — 🇨🇲 Cameroon
2019 — 🇩🇿 Algeria
2021 — 🇸🇳 Senegal
2023 — 🇨🇮 Ivory Coast
2025 — 🇲🇦 Morocco
Source: CAF Official Records
