In a surprising turn of events, Morocco has been declared the winners of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) overturned the final match's result. This decision comes in light of Senegal's controversial walk-off during the final game.
The final match held on 18 January saw Senegal beat Morocco 1-0. However, this victory was overshadowed by an incident where Senegalese players refused to continue playing after a stoppage-time penalty was awarded to their opponents with no goals scored yet. After approximately a seventeen-minute delay, play resumed and Brahim Diaz's penalty attempt was thwarted. Pape Gueye from Senegal then scored an extra-time winner.
Despite this outcome, an appeal board at African football's governing body has now reversed this result. According to a statement from CAF, "Senegal are declared to have forfeited the final match" and "the result is recorded as 3-0 in favour" of Morocco. This decision came about following an appeal lodged by Moroccan FA (FRMF), which CAF stated is "declared admissible in form" and subsequently upheld.
Violation of AFCON regulations
CAF further explained that due to its team’s conduct during the match, Senegal violated Article 82 and consequently Article 84 became applicable under regulations for AFCON matches.
Article 82 stipulates that if any team refuses to play or leaves before regulation time ends without referee authorization, it will be deemed as having lost and will be eliminated from competition. Complementing this rule is Article 84 which states that any team violating Article 82 will face permanent elimination and lose by default with a scoreline reading as '3-0'.
FRMF's statement on the appeal
FRMF clarified that their appeal was not intended to challenge the sporting performance of both teams. Instead, it was a request for the "application of competition's regulations".
FRMF released statement:
"The federation reaffirms its commitment to respecting the rules, ensuring clarity in the competitive framework, and maintaining stability within African competitions,"
"It also wishes to commend all the nations that took part in this edition of the Afcon, which has been a major moment for African football."
As of now, there has been no official comment from the Senegalese Football Federation. However, a video was posted on their men's national team account showing players celebrating with the Afcon trophy during a bus parade.
This decision by CAF has certainly added an unexpected twist to Afcon 2025. While it may be disappointing for Senegal and its fans, it serves as a reminder about the importance of adhering strictly to competition rules and regulations in sports.
