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AFCON 2025 Drama: Morocco Awarded Title After CAF Overturns Senegal’s Victory
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has taken a dramatic and unexpected turn, with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) officially handing the title to Morocco following a controversial appeal decision.
What was initially celebrated as a hard-fought triumph for Senegal has now been reversed, rewriting the narrative of one of the tournament’s most intense finals in recent memory.
The final, played earlier in the year, saw Senegal secure a narrow 1–0 win over Morocco after extra time in a fiercely contested clash. However, the match was marred by tension during a crucial VAR decision, when Senegalese players protested a penalty call and briefly walked off the pitch.
That moment, which seemed like a passing incident at the time, would later become the centrepiece of the controversy. Morocco subsequently lodged an official complaint, asking CAF to review the circumstances surrounding the disruption.
After weeks of review, CAF’s Appeal Board ruled that Senegal’s temporary walk-off amounted to a breach of competition regulations. Acting in line with its disciplinary code, the governing body imposed a strict sanction.
As a result, the match was awarded to Morocco as a 3–0 forfeit, effectively handing them the AFCON 2025 trophy. The decision not only overturns the original result but also delivers a historic continental title to Morocco, sparking celebrations among their supporters.
Meanwhile, the fallout is far from over. Senegal are expected to challenge the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, setting the stage for a legal battle that could further prolong the controversy.
The incident is already being described as one of the most contentious moments in African football history, underlining both the growing impact of VAR decisions and the importance of discipline at the highest level of the game.
The CAF Appeal Board decided that in application of Article 84 of the Regulations of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Senegal National Team is declared to have forfeited the Final Match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 (“the Match”),…
— CAF Media (@CAF_Media) March 17, 2026