The Confederation of African Football has firmly rejected an appeal from the Royal Moroccan Football Federation seeking to strip Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title.
CAF announced that its Appeals Committee found no legal or regulatory basis to overturn the result of the final, officially maintaining Senegal as the rightful champions of the tournament.
Morocco had filed the appeal following the controversial AFCON final played on January 18, 2026, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium. The North African side argued that alleged refereeing errors and the temporary walk-off by Senegal’s players during a disputed penalty review compromised the integrity of the match.
Senegal had left the pitch for about 17 minutes in protest, a situation that added to the chaos surrounding the final. However, after reviewing official match reports, video evidence, and written submissions from all parties, CAF ruled that the outcome of the match should stand.
In its decision, CAF stated that Morocco’s protest, which cited alleged breaches of tournament regulations, did not meet the requirements necessary to warrant any change to the final result.
With the ruling, Senegal remain the undisputed winners of the AFCON 2025 tournament, closing the chapter on one of the most dramatic finals in the competition’s history.
The decision also means Morocco’s hopes of ending their long wait for continental glory have been dashed once again, as attention now shifts to future international competitions.
CAF’s verdict brings finality to the legal and disciplinary fallout from the turbulent AFCON 2025 final, confirming that Senegal’s triumph on the pitch will not be overturned.
