Morocco has been named the champions of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) reversed the final outcome following Senegal’s contentious walk-off.
On January 18, Senegal originally defeated Morocco 1-0 in the final, a match marred by controversy when Senegal’s players chose not to continue after the hosts were awarded a stoppage-time penalty while the game was still tied at zero.
After a delay of around 17 minutes, the players returned to the pitch; however, Brahim Diaz’s penalty was saved, and Senegal’s Pape Gueye later scored a winner in extra time.
This result has since been annulled following a ruling from CAF’s appeal board.
In an official statement, CAF announced that Senegal is “declared to have forfeited the final match,” and the final score will be recorded as a 3-0 victory for Morocco.
The Senegalese Football Federation has indicated it will challenge CAF’s ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, labeling it as “an unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable decision that tarnishes the reputation of African football.”
This decision comes after an appeal filed by the Moroccan Football Association (FRMF), which CAF acknowledged as “admissible in form” and subsequently upheld.
CAF noted that Senegal violated Article 82 of the Africa Cup of Nations regulations through their team’s actions, leading to the enforcement of Article 84.
Article 82 states that if a team refuses to play or leaves the field without the referee’s authorization before the conclusion of regular time, they will be deemed the loser and thus eliminated from the tournament.
Article 84 reinforces this regulation, dictating that any team that breaches Article 82 will face permanent elimination and will lose the match 3-0.
In a statement, the FRMF clarified that their appeal regarding the final result was “not aimed at questioning the teams’ sporting performance,” but rather to ensure adherence to the competition’s regulations.
“The federation reaffirms its dedication to upholding the rules, fostering transparency in the competitive landscape, and maintaining stability within African competitions,” the FRMF’s statement continued.
Earlier, a video was shared on the X account of the Senegal men’s national team, showing players celebrating on a bus parade with the Afcon trophy and an ‘OK’ emoji.
Maher Mezahi, a North African football journalist, commented on BBC Radio 5 Live, stating that the decision to overturn the result will not erase the emotional experiences for those present at the match. “We cannot erase the final 16 minutes of that match and what we saw,” he noted. “We cannot erase the feelings of seeing Senegal lift the trophy and the players having a parade.”
What transpired in the Afcon final?
With the match score at 0-0, referee Jean Jacques Ndala awarded a penalty in the eighth minute of added time. He was prompted by the video assistant referee (VAR) to review defender El Hadji Malick Diouf’s challenge on Diaz at the pitchside monitor.
After Ndala disallowed a Senegal goal from Ismaila Sarr moments earlier, Senegal’s head coach Pape Thiaw stormed off the field with the team.
Although former Liverpool striker Sadio Mane stayed behind to urge his teammates to continue, the team was absent for 17 minutes before returning to play.
Diaz’s penalty was a tame effort that Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy easily saved, and shortly thereafter, Ndala blew the whistle for full-time. In the fourth minute of extra time, Gueye scored the decisive goal, securing Senegal’s second title in five years.
After the match, Morocco’s coach Walid Regragui criticized Senegal’s actions as “shameful” and not reflective of African honor. FIFA President Gianni Infantino condemned the “ugly scenes” in a post on Instagram. Following the ruckus in the press room, Thiaw’s media briefing was canceled, but he later acknowledged that his decision to withdraw the team was a mistake made in the heat of the moment.
Morocco subsequently parted ways with coach Walid Regragui on March 5, four months prior to the World Cup finals.