Due to Senegal Protest in AFCON Final
Monrovia, Liberia – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) declared Morocco the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations winners after Senegal’s controversial walk-off. Senegal defeated Morocco 1-0 in the final match on January 18. However, when the hosts were awarded a stoppage-time penalty while the game was still goalless, the Senegalese players’ unwillingness to proceed affected the match.
After a 17-minute break, the players resumed, and after Brahim Diaz’s penalty was saved, Senegal’s Pape Gueye scored the game-winning goal in extra time. However, that result has now been overturned by the African football regulatory body.
Senegal is “declared to have forfeited the final match” and the “result of the match being recorded as 3-0 in favour” of Morocco, according to a statement from CAF. The Moroccan FA (FRMF) filed an appeal, which CAF stated was “declared admissible in form” and upheld.
CAF further stated that Senegal violated Article 82 of the Africa Cup of Nations rules “through the conduct of its team,” making Article 84 applicable. According to Article 82, a team shall be deemed the loser and dismissed from the competition if they refuse to play or leave the pitch before the conclusion of regulation time without the referee’s approval.
This clause is complemented by Article 84, which stipulates that any team that violates Article 82 shall lose the game 3-0 and be permanently eliminated. According to a statement from FRMF, their decision to appeal the outcome was a request for the “application of the competition’s regulations” rather than “never intended to challenge the sporting performance of the teams.”
“The federation reaffirms its commitment to respecting the rules, ensuring clarity in the competitive framework, and maintaining stability within African competitions,” the statement read. “It also wishes to commend all the nations that took part in this edition of the Afcon, which has been a major moment for African football.”
