The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has stripped Senegal of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title they won in January, awarding the championship to Morocco following disciplinary proceedings over events during the final.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, CAF ruled that Senegal had forfeited the match after several of its players temporarily left the pitch in protest of a refereeing decision late in the game. The governing body confirmed that the final result would be officially recorded as a 3-0 victory in favour of Morocco.
“The Senegal national team is declared to have forfeited the match,” CAF stated, referencing the disruption that halted play for nearly 20 minutes during a critical stage of the encounter.
The controversy unfolded in the closing minutes of normal time when a penalty was awarded to Morocco with the match still goalless. The decision triggered strong protests from Senegal’s players, some of whom walked off the pitch, causing a significant delay.
Tensions were further heightened as a section of Senegalese supporters reportedly attempted a pitch invasion during the stoppage.
When play eventually resumed, Brahim Díaz missed the penalty, and the match proceeded into extra time, where Pape Gueye scored what appeared to be the winning goal for Senegal.
However, CAF’s disciplinary decision has nullified that outcome, citing the team’s conduct during the protest as a violation of competition regulations.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) welcomed the ruling, stating that its actions were not aimed at disputing the sporting contest but at ensuring adherence to tournament rules.
“Its action was never intended to contest the sporting performance of the teams participating in this competition, but solely to request the application of the competition regulations,” the federation said in a statement.
The decision marks a dramatic conclusion to the tournament and is likely to spark debate across the footballing world regarding officiating standards, player conduct, and the enforcement of disciplinary rules in high-stakes matches.
CAF has yet to indicate whether additional sanctions will be imposed on the Senegalese team or individuals involved in the incident.
