Morocco have officially been crowned champions of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after the Confederation of African Football (Caf) reversed the outcome of the final, which was marred by Senegal’s controversial walk-off.
Senegal had initially secured a 1-0 victory in the 18 January final, but the match descended into chaos when their players refused to continue after Morocco were awarded a stoppage-time penalty with the score still level. After a delay of around 17 minutes, play resumed, Brahim Diaz missed from the spot, and Pape Gueye later netted the winning goal in extra time.
Caf’s appeal board has since overturned that result, ruling that Senegal forfeited the match. The governing body confirmed the final score as a 3-0 victory in favour of Morocco.
In response, the Senegalese Football Federation condemned the ruling as “unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable,” and announced plans to challenge the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The verdict followed an appeal by the Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), which Caf deemed valid and upheld. Caf explained that Senegal breached Article 82 of Afcon regulations through their team’s conduct, triggering Article 84.
According to Article 82, any team that refuses to continue a match or leaves the field without the referee’s permission is considered to have lost and is eliminated. Article 84 further states that such a violation results in a 3-0 defeat and permanent elimination from the competition.
The FRMF clarified that their appeal was not meant to undermine Senegal’s performance, but rather to ensure the rules were properly enforced. They reiterated their commitment to fairness, transparency, and stability in African football, while also praising all teams that participated in the tournament.
Before the ruling, Senegal’s players had celebrated their victory with a bus parade, sharing footage online alongside the Afcon trophy.
