The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) has officially declared Morocco as the winner of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 after annulling the controversial final against Senegal.
In a landmark decision, the CAF Appeals Committee ruled that the Senegalese national team forfeited the match by abandoning the field in protest. This ruling stripped Senegal of what would have been its second continental title, awarding Morocco a 3-0 administrative victory.
what triggered the forfeiture?
The incident unfolded in the closing moments of extra time when Morocco was awarded a penalty following a VAR review. The decision sparked outrage from the Senegalese bench, leading coach Pape Thiaw to order his players off the pitch in protest. The protest lasted several minutes before some players, including Sadio Mané, convinced their teammates to return and complete the match.
the official ruling
The CAF Appeals Committee stated in its ruling:
- The appeal filed by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) was deemed admissible and upheld.
- The initial decision by the CAF Disciplinary Commission was overturned.
- Senegal’s actions were found to violate CAF Regulations articles 82 and 84.
- The match result was recorded as a 3-0 victory for Morocco due to Senegal’s forfeiture.
additional sanctions
While Morocco emerged victorious, the FRMF faced financial penalties for several incidents:
- A $100,000 fine for interference with the VAR review process.
- A reduced fine of $10,000 for the use of lasers by spectators.
- A halved fine of $50,000 for an incident involving ball boys during a tense VAR review.
This decision marks one of the most significant upsets in the tournament’s history, leaving Senegal without the title despite its efforts on the pitch.
