‎Senegal stripped of AFCON title as Morocco declared champions after CAF ruling

March 18, 2926: The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has stripped Senegal of their Africa Cup of Nations title and awarded the trophy to Morocco following a controversial appeal decision stemming from the tournament final earlier this year.
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‎Senegal had originally been crowned champions after defeating Morocco 1–0 in extra time in the final played in Rabat in January. However, the match was overshadowed by chaos late in regulation time when Morocco were awarded a disputed penalty, prompting Senegal’s players to walk off the pitch in protest before eventually returning to complete the game.
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‎Morocco later appealed the result, arguing that Senegal’s temporary walk-off violated tournament regulations. CAF’s appeals board agreed, ruling that leaving the field without the referee’s permission constitutes a forfeiture under competition rules. As a result, the match has been recorded as a 3–0 victory for Morocco, who are now officially recognized as the champions.
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‎The decision reverses an earlier disciplinary ruling that had allowed Senegal to keep the title while issuing fines and suspensions to both teams for misconduct during the final.
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‎The latest judgment has sparked strong reactions, with Senegal’s football federation calling the decision unfair and confirming plans to challenge it at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
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‎Morocco’s football authorities defended the appeal, saying the move was about enforcing the rules and protecting the integrity of the competition.
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‎The ruling gives Morocco their second AFCON title and brings an unprecedented end to one of the most controversial finals in the tournament’s history.
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