By Our Reporter
WORLD SPORTS
Confederation of African Football has stripped Senegal of its 2025 AFCON Trophy and instead handed it over to the runner-up, Morocco.
This was announced by the CAF Appeal Board late on Tuesday, 17th March, 2026 saying Morocco have been announced as AFCON winners with final result overturned by CAF.
Senegal have been declared to have forfeited the match with Morocco declared 3-0 winners by official statement.
“The CAF Appeal Board decided that in application of Article 84 of the Regulations of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Senegal National Team is declared to have forfeited the Final Match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 (“the Match”), with the result of the Match being recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF).” Reads the CAF statement in full.
Reacting to this announcement, Senegal’s Sadio Mane lashed out saying, “What happened has gone too far. This is not the football we fight for, not the Africa we believe in.”
The ruling follows chaotic scenes at the final where Senegal walked off the pitch only to return after 10 minutes and Morocco gladly resumed play and took their penalty which they missed and ultimately lost the game.
SADIO’s Full statement
What happened has gone too far. This is not the football we fight for, not the Africa we believe in.
There is too much corruption in our game, and it’s killing the passion of millions of fans across the continent. Players give everything on the pitch, but decisions off it are deciding matches and trophies.
I’m deeply disappointed not just for Senegal, but for African football as a whole. We deserve better. The fans deserve fairness, transparency, and respect.
