CAF strips Senegal, crowns Morocco 2025 Afcon winners
The Confederation of African Football's appeal board has ruled that the controversial walk-off by Senegalese players in January constitutes a forfeiture. Consequently, CAF is stripping Senegal of their title and awarding Morocco as the official champions despite losing the match on penalties to an offside decision. This extraordinary ruling overturns the final result recorded just two months after it occurred due to chaos surrounding late penalty decisions that sparked player protests.
Key Points
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1The Confederation of African Football has officially stripped Senegal of its 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title, awarding the championship to Morocco.
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2Caf judges ruled that Senegal forfeited their match on January 18 because players walked off the pitch in protest over a controversial penalty decision during extra time (score changed from 3-4 to 3-0).
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3Senegal has announced plans to appeal this ruling at The Court of Arbitration for Sport, citing it as 'travesty' and bringing discredit to African football.
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4The final match was described by multiple sources as chaotic due to intense controversy regarding a penalty awarded against Senegalese player Mamadou Sanda.
Developments
The CAF overturned its official record from January, changing the AFCON title match outcome because several players walked off in protest. Consequently, Morocco is now officially awarded victory with three goals to one instead of their original 1-0 win over a protesting team that had already secured two points for Senegal through extra time and penalties earlier on
Morocco has been crowned Africa Cup of Nations champions after a CAF Appeals Committee ruled that Senegal forfeited their January match due to player protests over an awarded penalty. While FIFA condemned specific actions by the team and coaching staff, Morocco's federation affirmed its commitment to respecting competition regulations despite seeking legal alternatives through other courts like CAS.
Morocco were declared AFCON 2025 champions after a two-month delay due to their appeal against an initial decision awarding them victory following Senegal's protest over referee errors. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) ruled that the final was forfeited because Pape Thiaw ordered his players off the pitch, prompting Abdoulaye Seydou Sow and other officials in Dakar to label this outcome a "shame for Africa" while announcing an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Senegal forfeited their match due to walking off during protest over an award penalty against them but returned for extra time; CAF subsequently overturned this result, ruling Morocco as 3-0 winners and African champions on appeal. The Senegalese Football Federation has vowed not back down by appealing the decision at Switzerland's Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).