Social media platforms in South Africa and across the continent are abuzz as Senegal is stripped of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title.
Morocco was on Tuesday awarded the title after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) overturned Senegal’s victory in the final and ruled that Senegal had forfeited the match.
In its decision, CAF’s Appeal Board said that under Article 84 of the AFCON regulations, the Senegal national team was declared to have forfeited the final of the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025.
The ruling means the result of the match is officially recorded as a 3-0 victory in favour of Morocco. The final, played on January 18 in Rabat, originally ended with Senegal winning 1-0 in extra time after a chaotic stoppage late in normal time.
Senegal’s players had left the pitch in protest after Morocco were awarded a penalty during stoppage time while the match was goalless.
Following a delay of more than 15 minutes, play eventually resumed and the penalty was missed before Senegal later scored the winning goal in extra time. Morocco’s football federation subsequently filed an appeal challenging the outcome, arguing Senegal’s walk-off constituted a breach of tournament regulations.
CAF’s Appeal Board accepted the appeal and annulled the previous disciplinary ruling, declaring Senegal to have forfeited the final and awarding Morocco a 3-0 victory.
The Senegalese Football Federation denounced the decision as unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable, which it said discredited African football.
It said to defend its rights and interest of Senegalese football, the federation would initiate an appeal as soon as possible before the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in Lausanne.
