In a historic and controversial ruling on Tuesday night, the Confederation of African Football (CAF Appeals Committee) formally stripped Senegal of the 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) title. but why? Express Sport explains the drama…
Decision: The CAF Appeals Committee reversed the original final result and declared the match forfeited to Senegal. The decision follows a successful appeal by the Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) against the first disciplinary committee’s ruling.
Reason: During the final match on January 18, Senegal’s players left the pitch for about 15 minutes in the 8th minute of stoppage time in the second half to protest the penalty awarded to Morocco due to a late VAR decision. CAF ruled that this action violated Article 84 of the tournament regulations regarding match cancellations and forfeitures.
Impact: Morocco are retroactively crowned AFCON 2025 champions. Senegal’s original 1-0 victory, achieved after extra time, was erased and replaced with an officially managed score of 3-0 in favor of Morocco.
what happened? The walk-off came after Morocco’s Brahim Dias was awarded a penalty in stoppage time. Although the players eventually returned and the penalty was missed, CAF ruled that the sending off from the field constituted a forfeiture, regardless of the physical conclusion of the match and whether Senegal was awarded the trophy.
Other CAF rulings: The board also addressed other incidents that occurred during the chaotic finals. The suspension for Morocco’s Ismael Saibari was reduced and the fine against FRMF for the ball boy and laser incident was reduced, but the $100,000 fine for interference in the VAR review area was upheld.
Why the turmoil won’t end: This is an unprecedented move in African football history, and marks the first time a major continental title has been stripped and re-awarded months after the trophy was presented. Although the decision has been finalized within CAF, Senegal could still appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and ultimately return as champions in the future.
