Morocco national football team have officially been declared winners of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) overturned the original result of the final following a controversial walk-off by Senegal national football team.
Senegal had initially secured a 1-0 victory in the final played on January 18, after Pape Gueye scored the winning goal in extra time. However, the match was marred by controversy when Senegal players temporarily left the pitch in protest after a stoppage-time penalty was awarded to Morocco while the game was still goalless.
Following a 17-minute delay, the Senegal team returned, and Brahim Díaz saw his penalty saved by goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. The match proceeded to extra time, where Senegal found the decisive goal.
Despite the on-field result, CAF’s appeals board ruled that Senegal had violated tournament regulations. Citing Articles 82 and 84, CAF determined that Senegal’s temporary refusal to continue play amounted to a breach of rules, leading to the team forfeiting the match. As a result, the final score has been officially recorded as a 3-0 victory in favour of Morocco.
The Senegalese Football Federation has rejected the ruling, describing it as “unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable,” and confirmed plans to appeal the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The appeal that led to the decision was filed by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, which stated that its intention was not to dispute the sporting outcome but to ensure the proper application of competition rules.
The incident began late in regulation time when referee Jean Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco a penalty after consulting VAR over a challenge by defender El Hadji Malick Diouf. Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw, angered by the decision and a previously disallowed goal from Ismaila Sarr, instructed his players to walk off the pitch.
Veteran forward Sadio Mané remained on the field, urging teammates to continue, but the protest briefly halted the match.
Reactions have been mixed across the football world. Morocco head coach Walid Regragui condemned Senegal’s actions, calling them “shameful,” while Gianni Infantino criticized the incident as “ugly scenes.”
Despite the ruling, analysts note that the emotional impact of Senegal’s on-field victory—celebrations, medals, and public reactions—may remain significant among fans, even as the official record now recognizes Morocco as champions.
