Rabat [Morocco], March 18 (HBTV): Senegal have been stripped of their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title win from January, with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) awarding the crown to Morocco following a review of the chaotic final held in Rabat.
The Sadio Mane-led side had originally lifted the trophy after securing a 1-0 victory in extra time in a match marred by controversy.
According to reports, tensions escalated in the closing stages of the match when Senegal players protested a denied penalty. A VAR decision awarding Morocco a penalty for a similar challenge further angered the Senegal side.
Most Senegal players, except their captain, walked off the pitch for around 20 minutes in protest and returned only after being persuaded by Mane. Morocco’s Brahim Diaz missed the resulting penalty, with the goalkeeper making a save, and the match proceeded to extra time. Pape Gueye later scored the decisive goal for Senegal.
Following the match, CAF had issued a statement condemning the ‘unacceptable behaviour of some players and officials’ during the final.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino also criticised the incident, stating, ‘It is also the responsibility of teams and players to act responsibly and set the right example for fans in the stadiums and millions watching around the world. The ugly scenes witnessed today must be condemned and never repeated. I reiterate that they have no place in football and I expect that the relevant disciplinary bodies at CAF will take the appropriate measures.’
The CAF Appeals Committee reviewed the match after an appeal by the Moroccan Football Federation and ruled that the game should be recorded as a 3-0 default victory in favour of Morocco.
A statement from the CAF Appeals Committee said, ‘The Senegalese national team has lost the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (CAF) in Morocco by default, with the result recorded as 3-0 in favour of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.’
According to CAF regulations, Senegal forfeited the match due to violations of Articles 82 and 84, with Article 82 stating that if a team refuses to play or leaves the pitch before the end of the match without the referee’s permission, it shall be deemed to have forfeited the match. (ANI)