Morocco Declared CAN 2025 Champions After Senegal Forfeit
Rabat, Morocco – In a stunning turn of events nearly two months after the final match, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has overturned Senegal’s victory in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, awarding the title to Morocco. The decision, announced Tuesday, stems from Senegal’s protest during the final against Morocco, when a significant number of Senegalese players left the pitch in dispute of a penalty decision. The CAF’s Jury of Appeal has ruled Senegal forfeited the match, resulting in a 3-0 scoreline in favor of Morocco.
What Does the CAF Decision State?
The ruling is unequivocal: Senegal has forfeited the match. “The CAF Appeals Board decided, in application of Article 84 of the CAN regulations, to declare the Senegal national team forfeited in the final of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025, the result being validated with a score of 3-0 in favor of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF),” read a statement released by CAF on Tuesday evening.
Article 84, as it applies to this situation, references a violation of Article 82, which stipulates that “if, for any reason, a team leaves the pitch before the end of regulation time without the referee’s authorization, it will be considered a loser and definitively eliminated from the ongoing competition.” The outcome is therefore a forfeit and a 3-0 victory awarded to Morocco.
What Incident Led to the Decision?
To understand the CAF’s decision, it’s necessary to revisit the events of January 18th, during the highly contentious CAN 2025 final. With the score deadlocked at 0-0, Morocco was awarded a penalty for a foul by Diouf on Brahim Diaz. The decision sparked outrage among the Senegalese players, who felt a penalty should have been awarded to them earlier in the match.
Led by their coach, Pape Thiaw, the Lions of Teranga then left the field of play at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. Only Sadio Mané initially remained on the pitch, eventually encouraging his teammates to return and finish the match. “Sadio hesitated a lot, he was wondering what to do. I told him it wasn’t possible to finish like that,” explained Claude Le Roy, who spoke with the Senegalese captain on the pitch, according to reports.
The subsequent events were chaotic. Brahim Diaz then missed the penalty, attempting a panenka that will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. Pape Gueye then secured a 1-0 victory for Senegal in extra time with a stunning strike.
How Did Morocco Obtain This Ruling?
Immediately following the final, the Moroccan Football Federation filed an appeal to contest the result and highlight Senegal’s departure from the pitch. The appeal, according to sources close to the Federation, focused on the “interpretation of essential provisions for the stability, coherence and credibility of competitions as a whole,” and aimed to “avoid the trivialization of incidents on the field.”
“The problem goes beyond a single match: the lack of firmness in the face of these drifts opens the door to their repetition. It is the very spirit of football that is at stake,” a source stated, noting similar decisions in the 2018-2019 CAF Champions League final between Wydad Athletic Club and Espérance Sportive de Tunis, and the 2024 Turkish Super Cup between Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray.
What Recourse Does Senegal Have?
The Senegalese Football Federation, which had planned a celebratory event at the Stade de France on March 28th in a friendly match against Peru, still has the option to appeal. They have ten days to file a claim with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.
The Federation announced its intention to do so late Tuesday evening. “The Senegalese Football Federation denounces an unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable decision that discredits African football,” the organization wrote in a statement posted on social media. “To defend its rights and the interests of Senegalese football, the Federation will, as soon as possible, initiate an appeal procedure before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.”
The Moroccan Federation, in its own statement, acknowledged the decision and reaffirmed “its commitment to respecting the rules, the clarity of the competitive framework and the stability of African competitions.”
Considering the CAS’s decision in the aforementioned CAF Champions League final, a similar outcome favoring Morocco is possible. The scenario was comparable, with Wydad Casablanca protesting a disallowed goal and leaving the pitch. After initial rulings by CAF and CAS, CAF ultimately sanctioned Wydad and awarded the title to ES Tunis, a decision upheld by CAS on a final appeal.
Reactions from Senegal
The Lions of Teranga were quick to react, expressing shock and disbelief at the unexpected reversal. “Come and gain them (the cup and the medal)! They are crazy,” Senegalese player Moussa Niakhaté posted on Instagram with a photo of the trophy. “We are among the crazy ones, I think,” added Pape Demba Diop of Toulouse FC.
OGC Nice goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf shared a team photo with the caption “Two stars, in the eyes of the world,” while former Senegalese international Famara Diedhou taunted the Moroccans, asking, “Will the parade be in Rabat or Casablanca?” A reaction from Sadio Mané, the captain of the Senegalese team, is anticipated.
What’s Next: The Senegalese Football Federation has ten days to file an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The outcome of that appeal will determine whether Morocco will officially be crowned the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations champions. Archysport will continue to provide updates as this story develops.
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