The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has released a landmark decision through its Appeal Board regarding the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), dramatically altering the outcome of the tournament.
In its official statement, CAF confirmed that the Senegal national team has been ruled to have forfeited the AFCON final under Article 84 of the competition’s regulations. As a result, the match has been officially recorded as a 3–0 victory in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF), effectively awarding Morocco the continental title.
The ruling follows an appeal lodged by the Moroccan FA, challenging earlier disciplinary decisions and citing breaches of Articles 82 and 84. CAF’s Appeal Board upheld the appeal, set aside the previous decision of the Disciplinary Board, and concluded that Senegal’s conduct during the match fell within the scope of these regulations.
Central to the decision was Senegal’s temporary walk-off during the final, which was deemed a violation of the rules governing match conduct. Although the team later returned and initially won the game 1–0 after extra time, CAF ruled that leaving the pitch without authorization constituted grounds for forfeiture.
Read more: Senegal to appeal “unprecedented” CAF forfeiture at the Court of Arbitration for Sport
Additionally, CAF confirmed that the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) breached Article 82 through the actions of its team, further strengthening the case for overturning the original result. All other motions and requests for relief were dismissed by the Appeal Board.
The decision also addressed other incidents from the match, including disciplinary measures involving Moroccan player Ismaël Saibari and organizational lapses attributed to the Moroccan federation, resulting in adjusted sanctions and fines.
This ruling marks one of the most controversial decisions in AFCON history, with reports indicating that Senegal is expected to challenge the verdict at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Read the full statement below:
