Morocco

CAF Strips Senegal of Afcon 2025 Title, Awards It to Morocco

Did CAF make the right call stripping Senegal of the AFCON title or is this a governance disaster that CAS will overturn?

Published MAR 18

CAF Strips Senegal of Afcon 2025 Title, Awards It to Morocco

Story

Above: Senegalese soccer star Sadio Mané holds the AFCON trophy in Rabat on Jan. 18, 2026. Image credit: Sebastien Bozon/AFP/Getty Images

The Facts

Africa's soccer governing body, CAF, announced on Tuesday that its Appeal Board sided with Morocco in a legal battle regarding the application of the Regulations of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), registering a 3-0 win for Morocco in the final match after ruling that Senegal forfeited it.
Confederation of African Football
This comes two months after Senegal beat the home team 1-0 in Rabat on Jan. 18, a game that was halted for more than 15 minutes when Senegal walked off the field in protest after Morocco was awarded a stoppage-time penalty kick moments after the referee disallowed a potential match-winning goal for Senegal.
The Telegraph
The New York Times
When players eventually returned, Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy saved Brahim Diaz's "Panenka" penalty. Pape Gueye scored the lone goal of the night in the fourth minute of extra time to seal what was the second AFCON title for Senegal in five years.
BBC News
The Telegraph
The Appeal Board ruled that Senegal violated Articles 82 and 84 of the competition's regulations, which state that a team that "leaves the ground before the end of a match without authorization of the referee" faces a 3-0 defeat and "shall be eliminated for good from the competition."
France24.com
GB News
Confederation of African Football
Senegal is now expected to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in the coming days, as the secretary-general of the country's soccer federation told a state broadcaster that there's "no legal foundation" for stripping Senegal of the title.
Al Jazeera
Daily Mail
The National News
The Appeal Board further reduced Morocco player Ismaël Saibari's suspension to two official CAF matches with one suspended and removed a $100,000 fine imposed on him, cut fines on the Morocco soccer authority for ball boy conduct to $50,000 and for a laser incident to $10,000.
Confederation of African Football

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

This was the right call. Senegal did violate AFCON regulations, and the rules demand a 3-0 forfeit loss, full stop. Morocco's appeal wasn't about sour grapes, but about upholding the integrity of competition rules that exist for a reason. The decision carries immediate enforcement power, and that's exactly how a legitimate governing body should operate.

Alyaoum24

beIN SPORTS

Narrative B

Stripping Senegal of the AFCON title months after the trophy lift is a governance disaster. Under the Laws of the Game, the match result must be final once the referee allows the game to resume. Morocco accepted Senegal back onto the field and lost, then appealed for the trophy. History is about to repeat itself as the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned a similar CAF overreach in 2019.

Osasu Obayiuwana on X