Morocco have been declared the winners of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after the Confederation of African Football (Caf) overturned the final’s outcome following Senegal’s controversial walk-off.
Senegal had beaten Morocco 1-0 in the final on 18 January, a match overshadowed when Senegalese players refused to play after the hosts were awarded a stoppage-time penalty with the score goalless. After about 17 minutes, the players returned; Brahim Diaz’s penalty was saved and Pape Gueye then scored an extra-time winner.
An appeal board at Caf has now overturned that result. Caf said Senegal had been “declared to have forfeited the final match” and that “the result of the match [is] being recorded as 3-0 in favour” of Morocco.
The Senegalese Football Federation said it would appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, calling Caf’s decision “an unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable decision which brings discredit to African football”.
Caf said the Moroccan FA’s (FRMF) appeal was “declared admissible in form” and upheld. It added that “through the conduct of its team” Senegal infringed Article 82 of the Africa Cup of Nations regulations, making Article 84 applicable. Article 82 states that if a team refuses to play or leaves the ground before the end of regulation time without the referee’s authorisation, it will be considered the loser and eliminated. Article 84 states that any team violating Article 82 will be permanently eliminated and will lose the match 3-0.
The FRMF said its appeal was “never intended to challenge the sporting performance of the teams” but sought the “application of the competition’s regulations”. The federation said it remained committed to respecting rules, ensuring clarity in the competitive framework and maintaining stability within African competitions, and it commended all nations that took part in the tournament.
A video was posted on the Senegal men’s national team’s X account showing players celebrating on a bus parade with the AFCON trophy. North African football journalist Maher Mezahi told BBC Radio 5 Live that Caf’s decision would not erase the emotional impact of what happened on the pitch, noting the memories of Senegal lifting the trophy, players receiving medals and the subsequent parade.
In the match, referee Jean Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco a penalty in the eighth minute of added time after VAR advised a pitchside monitor review of El Hadji Malick Diouf’s challenge on Diaz. Senegal coach Pape Thiaw, upset by an earlier decision to disallow a Senegal goal from Ismaila Sarr, ordered his team off the field. Former Liverpool striker Sadio Mane remained on the pitch trying to persuade teammates to finish the game.
After a 17-minute delay, Senegal returned. Diaz’s tame ‘Panenka’ was saved by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, and Ndala then blew for full-time. Gueye scored in the fourth minute of extra time to secure what on the day was Senegal’s second Afcon triumph in five years.
Post-match, Morocco coach Walid Regragui described Senegal’s actions as “shameful” and said they did not “honour Africa”. FIFA president Gianni Infantino condemned the “ugly scenes”. Thiaw’s initial post-match media briefing was cancelled after a disturbance in the press room; he later said he should not have ordered his team off the field and had acted “in the heat of the moment”.
Morocco subsequently parted company with Regragui on 5 March — four months before the World Cup finals.
