Morocco Awarded AFCON 2025 Title via Forfeit After Senegal’s Pitch Protest
In an unprecedented twist to the Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco has been declared the 2025 champion by the CAF Appeal Board, which overturned the result of the final and awarded a default 3-0 victory after Senegal was found to have forfeited the match.
Rabat, Morocco – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) officially named Morocco the 2025 AFCON champions on March 17, following a controversial ruling by its Appeal Board. The decision stems from the final held on January 18 in Rabat, where Senegal was penalized for walking off the pitch in protest, resulting in a forfeit.
According to the ruling, Senegal’s players left the field of play for 15 minutes during the final. The protest was triggered by a late VAR decision that awarded Morocco a penalty. At the time of the incident, Senegal had been leading 1-0 after extra time, a result that initially stood.
However, the Moroccan football federation launched a successful appeal, arguing that Senegal’s actions violated CAF rules prohibiting a team from leaving the field without the referee’s permission. The Appeal Board concurred, striking down the original on-pitch result and handing Morocco a default 3-0 win.
The decision has ignited a firestorm of controversy. The Senegalese football federation has labeled the ruling as “unfair” and has announced its intention to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Star forward Sadio Mané took to social media to voice his and the team’s defiance. In a post featuring him holding the trophy, Mané insisted that Senegal remains the “true champions,” a sentiment echoed by fans and neutrals who watched the team secure victory in extra time.
The ruling has also sparked reactions from rival nations. Algerian football hub Algeria FC posted on X, throwing shade at the decision with a post stating, “Trophies are won on the pitch 🏆★★ ,” accompanied by a graphic declaring themselves champions, a nod to their own previous title victories.
As the debate shifts from the pitch in Rabat to the courtrooms in Switzerland, the legitimacy of Morocco’s title hangs in the balance pending Senegal’s anticipated appeal to CAS.
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