CAF Updates Records With Morocco as AFCON 2025 Winner, Despite Backlash

Despite significant backlash from football fans around the world, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially revised its records to recognize Morocco as the champions of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations following a disciplinary ruling that altered the outcome of the tournament’s final.

An update published on CAF’s official platform now lists Morocco as the winner of the TotalEnergies AFCON Morocco 2025. Senegal has been placed second, while Nigeria finished third in the final standings.

The revision follows a decision delivered on March 18 by CAF’s Appeals Board, which nullified the result of the championship match played on January 18 in Rabat.

Initially, Senegal had secured a 1–0 victory after extra time, with midfielder Pape Gueye scoring the decisive goal. 

However, the closing stages of the game were overshadowed by controversy surrounding a stoppage-time penalty awarded to Morocco.

Senegalese players briefly left the pitch in protest during the chaotic sequence, an action that later became central to CAF’s disciplinary review.

After examining the incident, the Appeals Board ruled that the temporary walk-off constituted a breach of competition rules. 

Under Article 84 of the AFCON regulations, the panel concluded that Senegal’s conduct amounted to a forfeiture of the final.

As a result, CAF recorded the match as a 3–0 victory in favour of Morocco, effectively handing the North African side their second Africa Cup of Nations title.

In a statement explaining the decision, the continental governing body said the Senegal national team had forfeited the match, leading to the official scoreline being registered as a 3–0 win for Morocco’s football federation.

The ruling has generated heated debate across the African football community. Critics argue that overturning the result after the match risks undermining the competitive outcome determined on the field.

Senegal’s football authorities have rejected the decision and indicated plans to challenge the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the highest international tribunal for sports disputes.

A final verdict from CAS could take several months, and in some cases up to a year.

Meanwhile, CAF President Patrice Motsepe defended the disciplinary process, stressing that the organisation must enforce its regulations consistently.

According to him, maintaining the credibility of the tournament requires strict adherence to the competition’s rules, regardless of the teams involved.