Morocco Awarded AFCON Title After Senegal Sanction

African football has been rocked by one of the most extraordinary rulings in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations after Morocco were officially awarded the 2025 AFCON title, with Senegal stripped of the crown they had won on the pitch in January. CAF's Appeal Board ruled on March 17, 2026 that Senegal had forfeited the final, changing the result to a 3-0 win for Morocco.

The controversy stems from the AFCON final played in Rabat on January 18, 2026. Senegal had originally beaten Morocco 1-0 after extra time thanks to a Pape Gueye goal, but the match descended into chaos late in normal time after Morocco were awarded a penalty following a VAR review. Senegal's players left the pitch in protest and only returned after a delay of around 14 to 15 minutes. Brahim Diaz then missed the penalty before Senegal went on to win the match in extra time.

CAF's Appeal Board found that Senegal's actions fell under Articles 82 and 84 of the competition regulations, which provide that a team that refuses to play or leaves the field before the end of the match without the referee's authorisation can be deemed to have lost the game. On that basis, CAF upheld Morocco's appeal and formally declared Senegal to have forfeited the final.

That decision means Morocco are now recognised as AFCON champions, with Reuters and AP both reporting it as the country's second continental title and first since 1976. It is a stunning reversal nearly two months after Senegal's victory had been celebrated across the continent.

The ruling did not stop at the match result. CAF also revised several disciplinary sanctions linked to the chaotic final. Reuters reported that a $100,000 fine on Morocco striker Ismael Saibari was cancelled and his suspension was reduced from three matches to one, while a separate $100,000 fine on Morocco over interference in the VAR process was upheld. Using the Central Bank of Kenya's indicative rate of about KSh129.52 to one US dollar on March 17, 2026, that confirmed fine is worth roughly KSh12.95 million.

Senegal, however, are not taking the verdict quietly. Their football federation said the ruling was legally baseless and indicated that the matter will now be taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. AP also reported strong criticism in Senegal, where the verdict has triggered anger and disbelief after the team believed it had secured a second AFCON title in five years.

There has also been a defiant reaction from within the Senegal camp. Reports say some Senegal players posted photos of themselves with the trophy after the verdict, underlining the sense that, in their eyes, the title was won on the field and should not be erased by a ruling made weeks later.

For Morocco, the decision closes a bitter chapter from a final that had originally ended in heartbreak. For Senegal, it opens a fresh legal and political battle that could yet continue for weeks if the case reaches CAS. Either way, CAF's intervention has created a landmark moment in African football, one that will be debated for a long time because of both its legal basis and its wider implications for how major finals are decided after the final whistle.