Reporter: Asanda S
In an unprecedented turn of events, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has decided to overturn the result of the 2025 AFCON final, effectively awarding Morocco the title after Senegal had initially triumphed on the pitch February 10, 2026.
Following a highly contested match Senegal secured a 1-0 victory in extra time. A controversial late penalty for Morocco, which sparked the the walk-off, had briefly interrupted the game as the Senegalese players left the pitch in protest of the decision. They remained off for approximately 10-15 minutes before team Sadio Mane’ summoned them back to complete the match. While the team did ultimately return, CAF has now ruled on March 17, 2026, that the walk-off constituted abandonment under Articles 82 and 84 of the competition regulations, leading to the unprecedented decision to award Morocco a 3-0 victory and strip Senegal of the title. The Senegalese Football Federation has confirmed it will appeal the ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), citing both the extraordinary circumstances of the match and the perceive disproportionate sanction. The ruling has ignited widespread reaction from fans, players, pundits, and the wider football fraternity, underscoring the never debate between on-field performance and regulatory enforcement. Though Senegal celebrated on the field with the trophy in hand, the official record now credits Morocco as champions, a development that will be sure to reverberate across African football for months to come. CAF’s statement seeks to emphasize the strict application of it’s codes and possibly sets a precedent for how protests and walk-offs of this could be handled in future competitions.
