The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has overturned Senegal’s victory in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final, officially awarding the championship to Morocco following a ruling by its Appeal Board.
CAF announced on Tuesday that Senegal forfeited the final under Article 84 of the tournament regulations, giving Morocco a 3–0 win. The decision came after Morocco’s appeal challenged previous rulings by the CAF Disciplinary Board.
“The appeal lodged by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) is upheld. The CAF Disciplinary Board decision is set aside,” CAF stated, noting that Senegal violated Article 82 through the conduct of its team. All other reliefs sought outside this ruling were dismissed.
The reversal, which comes just days after Senegal had celebrated on-field triumph, is among the most dramatic in AFCON history. It also addresses multiple disciplinary issues from the tense match. Morocco’s player Ismaël Saibari was found guilty of misconduct but received a reduced two-match suspension, and a $100,000 fine against him was scrapped.
CAF also reviewed incidents involving ball boys, VAR interference, and laser pointers during the match. Morocco’s fine for ball boy misconduct was reduced to $50,000, a $100,000 fine for VAR interference was upheld, and a laser pointer penalty was lowered to $10,000.
The controversial final had seen both teams complain about officiating and unsporting conduct, with Senegal initially celebrated as winners before Morocco filed a formal protest. CAF’s investigation revealed multiple infractions that ultimately led to the annulment of Senegal’s on-field victory.
The ruling is expected to stir widespread debate across African football, with Senegal yet to issue a formal response. Sources suggest the Senegalese Football Federation may appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
