CAF Officially Names Morocco As Winners Of 2025 AFCON

CAF Officially Names Morocco As Winners Of 2025 AFCON
Senegal loses title after walking off pitch in protest
Decision sparks controversy, Senegal plans legal challenge

The Confederation of African Football has officially named Morocco as winners of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations following a controversial decision to overturn the original final result.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that checks on CAF’s official platform on Monday confirmed Morocco as champions of the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON 2025, with Senegal now listed as runners-up.

The decision followed a ruling by CAF’s Appeals Board on March 18, which nullified the outcome of the final played on January 18 in Rabat.

Senegal had initially won the match 1-0 after extra time, with Pape Gueye scoring the decisive goal. However, the game ended in controversy after Senegalese players briefly walked off the pitch in protest against a stoppage-time penalty awarded to Morocco.

CAF ruled that the action constituted a breach of competition regulations.

“The Senegal National Team is declared to have forfeited the Final Match… with the result of the Match being recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football,” the body stated.

Invoking Article 84 of the AFCON Regulations, the Appeals Board declared the match forfeited and awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory, effectively handing the North African side their second AFCON title.

The ruling has sparked widespread debate across the football community, with critics arguing that the decision undermines the result achieved on the pitch.

Senegal’s football federation has rejected the verdict and confirmed plans to challenge it at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

CAF President, Patrice Motsepe, defended the process, stating that the decision was guided by fairness and strict adherence to regulations.