Why CAF awarded Morocco the 2025 AFCON title after Senegal stripped

CAF’s Appeal Board has officially awarded Morocco the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title after ruling that Senegal forfeited the final. The decision overturns the initial outcome of the match and stands as one of the most significant and controversial rulings in the tournament’s history.

On 17 March 2026, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed that Morocco’s appeal was successful. The governing body determined that Senegal breached key tournament regulations during the AFCON 2025 final. Consequently, the match has been recorded as a 3–0 forfeit victory in favour of Morocco, who are now officially recognised as AFCON 2025 champions.

The ruling is based on the application of Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON regulations. According to the Appeal Board, Senegal committed violations serious enough to warrant a forfeiture decision.

Article 84 empowers CAF to award a 3–0 victory to the opposing team when a side is found guilty of specific regulatory breaches. Rather than ordering a replay or adjusting the score based on sporting performance, CAF applied this provision to deliver a disciplinary outcome. As a result, Morocco were awarded the win and the tournament title through the appeals process.

This means the championship was not decided by extra time, penalties, or a replay, but through CAF’s judicial and regulatory framework following the final.

A key aspect of the ruling is that the Appeal Board overturned a previous decision made by CAF’s Disciplinary Board. Morocco’s initial protest had not succeeded at the first level of review. However, the appeal led to a comprehensive reassessment of the case.

After reviewing the evidence and regulations, the Appeal Board concluded that Senegal had violated the relevant rules and that forfeiture was the appropriate sanction. This reversal ultimately changed the official result of the final.

Although Morocco was awarded the title, the ruling also confirmed that they were not entirely without fault.

CAF partially upheld sanctions related to matchday incidents. Midfielder Ismaël Saibari had his suspension reduced to two CAF matches, with one suspended, and a previously imposed fine was cancelled. However, the Moroccan federation remained subject to fines concerning incidents involving ball boys, interference around the VAR review area, and the use of laser devices inside the stadium. Some penalties were reduced, while others were confirmed.

This indicates that CAF addressed disciplinary matters independently of the final’s forfeiture decision.

Morocco were also the designated hosts of AFCON 2025, having been awarded hosting rights in 2023 after Guinea lost the opportunity due to infrastructure-related concerns. This context has intensified global attention on the ruling.

For Senegal, the decision represents a major setback, as a final contested on the pitch has effectively been nullified due to regulatory violations. For Morocco, it marks a historic continental triumph, although one determined through administrative procedures rather than on-field victory.

The Appeal Board’s ruling represents the final decision within CAF’s internal judicial structure. However, given the magnitude of the outcome, further legal action cannot be ruled out.

For now, the official record confirms that Morocco are the AFCON 2025 champions following CAF’s determination that Senegal forfeited the final under tournament regulations.