Morocco awarded AFCON 2025 title after CAF rules Senegal forfeited final
The ruling overturns an earlier decision by the CAF Disciplinary Board, with the Appeal Board upholding an official protest lodged by the Moroccan federation. It found that Senegal, through the conduct of its team, had infringed Article 82 of the competition’s regulations, leading to the forfeiture sanction.
The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) Appeal Board has awarded the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 final to Morocco national football team following a ruling that Senegal national football team forfeited the match.
In a decision delivered on Wednesday, the Appeal Board applied Article 84 of the AFCON regulations, declaring Senegal to have forfeited the final. The match has consequently been recorded as a 3–0 victory in favour of Morocco, represented by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF).
The ruling overturns an earlier decision by the CAF Disciplinary Board, with the Appeal Board upholding an official protest lodged by the Moroccan federation. It found that Senegal, through the conduct of its team, had infringed Article 82 of the competition’s regulations, leading to the forfeiture sanction.
“The appeal lodged by the FRMF is declared admissible and is upheld,” the ruling stated, adding that all other motions outside the decision were dismissed.
The decision effectively hands Morocco the AFCON 2025 title in dramatic and unprecedented fashion, marking a significant moment in the tournament’s history.
Alongside the forfeiture ruling, the Appeal Board also addressed several disciplinary matters arising from the final.
Morocco midfielder Ismaël Saibari was found guilty of misconduct in violation of CAF disciplinary regulations. However, his punishment was reduced to a two-match suspension, with one match suspended, and a previously imposed fine of USD 100,000 was cancelled.
CAF also ruled on organisational lapses involving Morocco during the match. The federation was held responsible for the conduct of ball boys, though the associated fine was reduced to USD 50,000. A separate USD 100,000 fine related to interference around the VAR review area was upheld in full.
Additionally, a fine linked to the use of laser devices during the match was reduced to USD 10,000.
Despite these sanctions, Morocco’s appeal on the core issue of the match outcome proved decisive, securing them a 3–0 awarded victory and the AFCON 2025 crown.
The ruling closes a contentious chapter in the tournament, with CAF’s final decision set to stand as the official outcome of the competition.
