In a stunning and unprecedented decision, the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) Appeal Board has officially awarded the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 title to Morocco following the forfeiture of the final match by Senegal.
The highly anticipated AFCON 2025 final between the Senegal National Football Team and the Morocco National Football Team has now gone down in history for all the wrong reasons.
CAF ruled that Senegal forfeited the match under Articles 82 and 84 of the tournament regulations. As a result, the final score has been officially recorded as 3–0 in favor of Morocco, effectively handing them the continental crown.
The CAF Appeal Board decided that in application of Article 84 of the Regulations of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Senegal National Team is declared to have forfeited the Final Match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 (“the Match”),…
— CAF Media (@CAF_Media) March 17, 2026
This decision follows a successful appeal by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF), overturning an earlier ruling by CAF’s Disciplinary Board.
According to CAF’s Appeal Board, the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF), through the conduct of its team, breached key competition rules governing discipline and match conduct.
While CAF did not detail every incident in the statement, Articles 82 and 84 typically cover serious infractions such as:
- Match disruption
- Unsporting conduct
- Failure to comply with official procedures
The ruling indicates that Senegal’s actions were severe enough to warrant the ultimate penalty in football—forfeiture of the match.
Despite being awarded the title, Morocco did not come out entirely unscathed.
Moroccan player Ismaël Saibari was found guilty of misconduct. However, his punishment was reduced:
- A two-match suspension, with one match suspended
- A previously imposed $100,000 fine was cancelled
CAF also upheld several disciplinary findings against Morocco:
- Ball boys incident → Fine reduced to $50,000
- VAR interference → Fine of $100,000 upheld
- Laser incident→ Fine reduced to $10,000
These rulings highlight that while Morocco won the appeal, the match itself was marred by multiple controversies.
This decision marks one of the most controversial conclusions to an AFCON tournament in recent memory. Finals are meant to be decided on the pitch, yet this one will forever carry an asterisk in the eyes of many fans.
For Senegal, the ruling is a devastating blow, raising questions about discipline and match management at the highest level. For Morocco, the title is official—but the circumstances surrounding it may continue to spark debate across African football.
The fallout from this decision could extend beyond the tournament:
- Possible reactions or further appeals from Senegal
- Increased scrutiny of CAF’s disciplinary processes
- Stronger enforcement of matchday regulations in future competitions
One thing is certain: AFCON 2025 will be remembered not just for football, but for a decision that reshaped the outcome of a continental final.
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