Morocco Officially Confirmed as 2025 AFCON Champions After CAF Record Update

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially recognised Morocco as the winners of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), following an update to its historical records.

The revision, published on CAF’s official website on Monday, March 23, 2026, lists Morocco as champions, with Senegal now recorded as runners-up. Nigeria, who exited at the semi-final stage, are placed third.

This change follows a ruling by CAF’s Appeals Board on March 18, 2026, which overturned the original outcome of the final played on January 18 in Rabat.

In that match, Senegal had initially secured a 1–0 victory in extra time through a goal from midfielder Pape Gueye. However, the closing stages were overshadowed by controversy after Senegalese players briefly left the pitch in protest against a late penalty awarded to Morocco.

After reviewing the incident, CAF ruled that Senegal’s actions amounted to a forfeit under Article 84 of the tournament regulations. As a result, the match was officially recorded as a 3–0 win in favour of Morocco, handing them their second AFCON title.

In a statement, CAF said: “The Senegal National Team is declared to have forfeited the Final Match, with the result recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football.”

The decision has sparked widespread debate within the football community. While some critics argue that determining a tournament winner off the pitch undermines the spirit of competition, CAF President Patrice Motsepe defended the ruling, insisting that strict adherence to regulations is necessary to preserve the integrity of the game.

Meanwhile, the Senegalese Football Federation has rejected the decision and confirmed plans to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland. A final verdict on the matter could take up to a year.