AFCON 2025: Morocco Declared Champions as Senegal Lose Title After Appeal Ruling

Morocco have officially been crowned winners of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeal Board overturned the original final result against Senegal.

CAF announced that the decision followed dramatic scenes during the final in Rabat, where Senegal’s team walked off the pitch in protest. As a result, the match was awarded as a 3–0 victory to the host nation.

According to CAF, the Appeal Board ruled in line with Article 84 of the AFCON regulations, declaring that Senegal forfeited the final. The appeal submitted by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) was accepted and upheld, while the earlier decision by the CAF Disciplinary Board was set aside.

The controversy stemmed from a tense moment late in the game when Morocco’s Brahim Diaz went down in the penalty area. Although the referee initially allowed play to continue, a VAR review led to a penalty being awarded. The decision sparked outrage from Senegal’s bench, prompting head coach Pape Thiaw to instruct his players to leave the field in protest.

CAF determined that Senegal’s actions violated Articles 82 and 84 of the competition’s regulations, leading to an automatic forfeiture and awarding Morocco the title.

In addition to the ruling, CAF also issued sanctions related to the match. Moroccan player Ismaël Saibari was found guilty of misconduct and handed a two-match suspension, with one match suspended, while a previous $100,000 fine against him was отменed.

Morocco’s football federation was also held responsible for incidents involving ball boys, interference around the VAR review area, and the use of laser devices. While some fines were reduced, such as $50,000 for the ball boys and $10,000 for the laser incident, others, including a $100,000 fine for VAR interference, were upheld.

All other appeals and requests were dismissed, bringing an official end to one of the most controversial AFCON finals in recent history.