Nigeria: Senegal stripped of AFCON 2025 title as Morocco declared winners

By Zuleihat Owuiye, Mamos Nigeria

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has overturned Senegal’s 1-0 victory over Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2026 final, declaring Morocco the winners with a 3-0 default score. The decision was made by CAF’s Appeal Board, citing Article 84 of the competition’s regulations, which states that a team that refuses to play or leaves the field before the regular end of the match without the referee’s authorization is considered to have forfeited the match.

Senegal’s players had briefly walked off the pitch in protest after Morocco was awarded a contentious penalty in stoppage time. Although they returned to the field and won the match in extra time, CAF’s decision has sparked outrage among Senegalese players and fans. Players like Moussa Niakhate and Idrissa Gueye took to social media to express their disappointment and frustration.

The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has condemned the decision, describing it as “unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable” and has announced plans to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).