In a historic and unprecedented decision, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on the evening of Tuesday, March 17, 2026, that it has stripped Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title and officially awarded it to Morocco. This final ruling by the appeals committee follows the appeal lodged by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, thereby closing the chapter on the refereeing and organizational controversy that followed the highly disputed final match.

Details of the Final Decision by CAF’s Appeals Committee

CAF’s appeals committee issued an official statement detailing the reasons for its decision, which deems Senegal as having withdrawn from the final match and awards a 3-0 victory to Morocco, thus crowning the Atlas Lions with the continental title. The decision came after a thorough study of the Moroccan appeal, which highlighted a clear breach of the tournament regulations by the Senegalese team, particularly concerning their temporary walk-off during the final match on January 18 at the Prince Moulay Abdallah Sports Complex in Rabat.

CAF decision: Morocco crowned 2025 African Champions instead of Senegal

The Legal Articles Behind CAF’s Decision (Articles 82 and 84)

CAF’s decision is based on strict regulatory articles of the Africa Cup of Nations, specifically Articles 82 and 84, which deal firmly with cases of withdrawal or refusal to complete a match.

• Article 82: It states that any team that withdraws from a match, refuses to play, or leaves the field of play before the end without the referee’s permission is considered the loser and is disqualified from the competition.
• Article 84: It specifies the penalty: the offending team is definitively excluded from the competition, and the score is recorded as a 3-0 win for the opposing team, unless the opposing team was already leading by a better score at the time the match was stopped.

Senegal’s Temporary Walk-Off Was the Turning Point

The most prominent scene in the final was the Senegalese players leaving the field for about 14 minutes to protest the referee awarding a penalty to Morocco after consulting the VAR. This action was considered by the appeals committee as a clear violation of Article 82, regardless of the players returning to complete the match later.

Harsh Sanctions for Senegal and Penalty Reductions for Morocco

The decision was not limited to stripping the title. It also included financial and administrative penalties. Senegalese coach, Pape Thiaw, was suspended for 5 matches and fined $100,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Senegalese Football Federation was fined $615,000, and players Illiman Ndiaye and Ismaïla Sarr were suspended for two matches.

Conversely, the committee also announced reductions in financial penalties for the Moroccan side. Player Ismaël Saibari received a two-match suspension with one match suspended. The fine for the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) was reduced to $50,000 due to the behavior of the ball boys. CAF also confirmed a $100,000 fine for entering the VAR review area, and the fine for the laser incident was reduced to just $10,000.

Next Step: Will Senegal Appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)?

With all internal appeal routes within CAF exhausted, the only remaining option for Senegal is to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within a 21-day window from this decision. Senegal will likely challenge the ruling based on the principle of “proportionality of the sanction” and may attempt to prove “force majeure” to justify the team’s walk-off.

Widespread Reactions and Contrasting Emotions

The decision sparked a massive wave of reactions in sports and media circles. While Moroccan fans express their immense joy, seeing this as vindication for their team, Senegalese fans and others are shocked, with many believing that stripping a title won on the field sets a dangerous precedent. The FRMF stressed in its statement that its aim was solely to “apply the competition rules” and not to question the sporting effort of the teams.