The Confederation of African Football has overturned Senegal's 2025 Africa Cup of Nations triumph, awarding the championship to Morocco after ruling that Senegal forfeited the final.
Senegal won the match on the field in January after a dramatic finish: a stoppage‑time penalty was awarded to Morocco, Senegal's players briefly walked off in protest, returned after about 17 minutes, the penalty was missed and Pape Gueye scored in extra time.
Following an appeal from the Moroccan federation, CAF decided the walk‑off amounted to a forfeit and recorded the result as a 3-0 victory for Morocco.
Senegal's football federation said it will take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, calling the decision unprecedented and unjust.
Their secretary general insisted the federation will pursue all legal avenues and that the dispute is far from over.
Some members of the Senegal squad have hinted they will not surrender their winners' medals.
Midfielder Idrissa Gueye said on social media that the players will not forget what happened on the night in Rabat.
The incident prompted football's lawmaking body, Ifab, to open a review into how to handle situations when teams leave the field in protest.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino also condemned teams walking off as unacceptable.
The penalty that sparked the protest came in the 98th minute after the referee, advised by VAR, reviewed an incident between Brahim Diaz and Senegal defender El Hadji Malick Diouf.
Earlier in the same sequence, a Senegal goal had been disallowed.
CAF's ruling also addressed other complaints from the final: the body partially upheld an appeal about ball‑boy interference and reduced the fine on the Moroccan federation over that episode, as well as cutting a sanction tied to laser‑pointer incidents.
Former CAF disciplinary head Raymond Hack criticised the outcome, suggesting there are perceptions of political influence and noting the referee had allowed play to continue into extra time.
He warned that legal challenges to CAF decisions are likely and said CAS could take months to reach a verdict.
Reactions in Morocco included celebrations of CAF's ruling, while other voices across Africa expressed anger and concern that the confederation's actions undermine confidence in its governance.
The dispute now moves off the pitch and into a lengthy legal fight.
