Senegal have been removed from the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 final after CAF’s Appeal Board ruled that they forfeited the match, handing Morocco a 3–0 victory.
The decision came after an appeal from the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF), which challenged an earlier ruling by CAF’s Disciplinary Board. Following a review, the Appeal Board sided with Morocco and overturned the initial outcome. It concluded that the conduct of the Senegal national team fell under Articles 82 and 84 of the competition regulations.
CAF determined that the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF), through the actions of its team, had breached the rules of the tournament. As a result, Senegal were declared to have forfeited the final, with the match officially recorded as a 3–0 win for Morocco.
The Appeals Committee found that the actions of the Senegal team violated Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON regulations, which led to the technical defeat.
Initially, Senegal had won the final 1–0 after extra time. Near the end of regular time, Morocco forward Brahim Díaz missed a penalty. After the penalty was awarded, the entire Senegal team left the field and returned only after 20 minutes. This incident likely became the key reason for the technical defeat, which was recorded two months after the match.
The ruling effectively confirms Morocco as AFCON 2025 champions, bringing an end to a dispute that had overshadowed the tournament’s climax.
The Appeal Board also issued decisions on several incidents connected to the match.
Morocco international Ismaël Saibari was found guilty of misconduct under CAF regulations. His sanction was reduced to a two-match suspension, with one match suspended, and the previously imposed USD 100,000 fine was cancelled.
CAF also held Morocco’s football federation responsible for the conduct of the ball boys during the game, although the financial penalty was reduced to USD 50,000. A separate sanction relating to interference near the VAR review area was upheld, with the USD 100,000 fine remaining in place.
In a further case involving the use of lasers, the board reduced the fine imposed on Morocco to USD 10,000.
All other appeals submitted by both parties were dismissed, formally closing the case and ending one of the more contentious episodes in recent AFCON history.
Beyond determining the outcome of the final, the ruling reinforces CAF’s position that its regulations will be enforced consistently — even in the competition’s most high-profile matches.
