The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has awarded the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title to the Morocco national football team after annulling the result of the final that had initially been won by the Senegal national football team.
The decision followed a review by CAF’s Appeals Committee into events that occurred during the final match played in Rabat, which Senegal had originally won 1–0 after extra time.
Senegal appeared to have secured victory through a goal scored by midfielder Pape Gueye during extra time, sparking celebrations among the team and supporters after what was seen as a dramatic finish to the tournament.
However, controversy had already erupted late in regulation time when the referee awarded a penalty to Morocco following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review.
The decision prompted protests from Senegal’s players, who briefly left the pitch in disagreement with the referee’s ruling. Although the team later returned to continue the match, the incident became the subject of a formal appeal lodged by Morocco.
Morocco’s forward Brahim Díaz failed to convert the penalty, and the match proceeded to extra time where Senegal scored the decisive goal.
Following Morocco’s appeal, CAF’s Appeals Committee reviewed the incident under Articles 82 and 84 of the tournament regulations.
The rules stipulate that any team that leaves the field of play without authorization from the referee may be deemed to have abandoned the match.
The regulations further allow disciplinary bodies to award a 3–0 result against the team considered to have violated the rules.
According to CAF, the review established that Senegal’s players remained off the field for more than ten minutes during the protest, an action interpreted as a refusal to continue the match.
Based on this finding, the committee ruled that Senegal should forfeit the final and be disqualified from the match. The result was therefore officially recorded as a 3–0 victory for Morocco.
The ruling effectively overturns the on-field outcome of the final and confirms Morocco as the tournament’s champions.
CAF said the decision was taken in accordance with the competition’s regulatory framework and in an effort to uphold discipline and adherence to the rules governing the tournament.
The decision has generated debate across African football, with discussions focusing on the enforcement of regulations and the handling of disputes during high-stakes matches.
While Morocco now holds the official title, the case is likely to remain one of the most discussed incidents in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations.
