CAF ruling shakes African football: Senegal’s victory nullified
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has delivered a seismic verdict in African football history. On March 17, the CAF Appeal Board annulled Senegal’s victory in the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2025 final, originally won 1-0 after extra time against Morocco on January 18. The decision transforms the outcome, awarding the Atlas Lions a 3-0 technical victory instead.
The dramatic turn of events follows protests from the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, which filed an appeal after Senegalese players abandoned the pitch in protest during the final minutes of regulation time.
Protests lead to forfeiture
With the score at 0-0 in stoppage time and a penalty awarded to Morocco, most of Senegal’s players walked off the field and retreated to the locker rooms. The protest sparked a 20-minute delay as Senegalese supporters invaded the pitch, confronting stewards in chaotic scenes. Play resumed under intense pressure, with Morocco’s eventual victory decided by Pape Gueye’s extra-time goal.
The CAF Appeal Board ruled that Senegal’s actions violated Articles 82 and 84 of the CAN competition regulations, which stipulate:
- Article 82: “If a team leaves the field before the end of regulation time without the referee’s permission, it will be declared the losing side and disqualified from the competition.”
- Article 84: “Teams breaching Articles 82 or 83 will be permanently excluded from the competition and lose the match 3-0.”
The CAF’s official statement confirmed: In accordance with Article 84, the Senegal national team has been declared forfeit in the CAN 2025 final. The match result is officially recorded as 3-0 in favor of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.
Path to appeal remains open
The Senegalese Football Federation has ten days to submit an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Reactions from Senegalese players have been swift and emotional. Midfielder Pape Demba Diop took to Instagram, writing: I think we’re dealing with madness here.
Defender Moussa Niakhaté shared a story stating: Come and get them! They’re crazy!
and later posted a photo with the trophy, captioned: This isn’t AI, it’s real.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation issued a statement acknowledging the decision, emphasizing that its appeal was never about contesting sporting merit but about upholding the competition’s regulations. While the verdict stands, the possibility of a CAS appeal means the controversy is far from over.
