Morocco named AFCON 2025 winners by CAF appeals jury two months after Senegal victory

In an unprecedented turn of events for African football, the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has seen its final result overturned. Nearly two months after the final whistle blew in Rabat, where Sénégal defeated Maroc 1-0 in extra time, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially stripped the Teranga Lions of their title, crowning the host nation instead.

According to a statement released by the CAF appeals jury on Tuesday, March 17, Sénégal has been declared to have forfeited the match. Following the application of Article 84 of the tournament regulations, the official scoreline has been adjusted to a 3-0 victory in favor of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF). This update, closely followed by Ouaga Press, marks one of the most controversial administrative decisions in the history of the competition.

CAF cites articles 82 and 84 of official regulations

The governing body ruled that the appeal filed by the Moroccan federation was both admissible and justified. The jury focused on the conduct of the Sénégal squad during the high-stakes final. Specifically, the jury noted that several players temporarily abandoned the pitch following a penalty awarded to Brahim Diaz, an action deemed a violation of Article 82. This is a significant development in Faso current affairs and continental sports law.

The tournament rules state clearly that if a team withdraws, refuses to play, or leaves the field before the end of the match without the referee’s consent, they are considered the losers and are eliminated from the competition. As part of our commitment to independent Burkina journalism, we note that while Sénégal eventually returned to finish the game, the initial walk-off was enough to trigger the forfeit clause.

The tension originally peaked in the 98th minute of regulation time with the score tied at 0-0. After a fifteen-minute standoff and intervention by Sadio Mané, play resumed. Although Brahim Diaz missed his penalty and Pape Gueye eventually scored for Sénégal in the 94th minute of extra time, those athletic achievements have now been nullified by the jury’s ruling.

Sénégal granted 10 days to approach the CAS

The legal battle may not be over. Under Article 48 of the CAF statutes, Sénégal has a 10-day window to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in an attempt to reverse the decision and reclaim their trophy. As reported in English Burkina news, the CAS remains the final authority for disciplinary appeals involving CAF and FIFA decisions.

The Moroccan federation defended its position in a statement, asserting that their goal was never to diminish the athletic performance of their opponents but rather to ensure the strict application of tournament rules. Meanwhile, the Sénégal federation has yet to release an official rebuttal, though they did share a silent video of the original trophy celebrations on social media.

The players themselves have been more vocal. Moussa Niakhaté shared images of the trophy on Instagram, challenging officials to “come and get it,” while goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf insisted that the team earned their stars “in the eyes of the world.” For those following the Burkina Faso press, this remains a developing story that challenges the traditional conclusion of major sporting events.