In an unprecedented decision, the Confederation of African Football has stripped Senegal of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title and handed it to losing finalists Morocco. (Photo: Mahugnon Leopold Soglo / Gallo Images) Soccer operates on a simple yet effective principle: the referee’s decision is final and binding. However, the Confederation of African Football (Caf) has ignited a situation where this principle can now be undermined. The custodian of African soccer did this by stripping Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) title, which they won by beating Morocco 1-0 on 18 January 2026.
According to Caf, its appeal board “decided that in application of Article 84 of the regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations, the Senegal national team is declared to have forfeited the final, with the result of the match being recorded as 3-0 in favour of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation”.
/file/attachments/orphans/TL_2507405_617402.jpg "Two months after the final, the Confederation of African Football has expunged Senegal’s 2025 Africa Cup Of Nations 1-0 final victory over Morocco. (Photo: Segun Ogunfeyitimi / Gallo Images)")
Retrospective punishment
Caf explained in their statement, released late at night on 17 March, that by staging a walk-off during the heated Morocco-hosted Afcon final, Senegal had breached Article 82 of regulations of the Afcon rule book, despite their eventual return after more than 10 minutes. Caf said the original action of the Senegalese resulted in Article 84 of the same guide becoming applicable.
Article 82 states that if a team refuses to play or leaves the ground before the end of regulation time without the referee’s authorisation, they will be considered the losers and eliminated from the competition. Article 84 complements this provision and says any team that violates Articles 82 will be permanently eliminated and will lose the match 3-0.
After losing the decider Morocco lodged an appeal with this exact verdict in mind. In a brief reaction statement after Caf’s unprecedented announcement of stripping the tournament winners, Morocco said: “The federation wishes to recall that its approach has never been intended to challenge the sporting performance of the teams participating in this competition, but solely to request the application of the competition’s regulations.
/file/attachments/orphans/B26ARSM1350_831376.jpg "Ismaila Sarr of Senegal celebrates after the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco, which ended 1-0 in favour of Senegal at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco, on 18 January 2026. (Photo: Sydney Mahlangu / BackpagePix)")
“The federation reaffirms its commitment to respecting the rules, ensuring clarity in the competitive framework, and maintaining stability within African competitions. It also wishes to commend all the nations that took part in this edition of the Afcon, which has been a major moment for African football.”
As expected, the Senegalese have said they will appeal Caf’s decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).
“The Senegalese Football Federation condemns this unjust, unprecedented and unacceptable decision, which brings African football into disrepute,” it said. “To defend its rights and the interests of Senegalese football, the federation will, as soon as possible, file an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.”
Events leading to stripping
In the Afcon final, Senegal felt increasingly frustrated with some of the decisions by Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala. In the fifth minute of added time Senegal appeared to score a winner, but the goal was disallowed for a foul.
To compound Senegal’s anger, a few moments later Ndala, after consulting with the video assistant referee, handed the host nation a penalty. Brahim Díaz was adjudged to have been fouled in the Senegalese box. This is when the Lions of Teranga decided to walk off the pitch, at the insistence of their coach Pape Thiaw.
Watch: Morocco’s ball boys attack Senegal goalkeeper during Afcon final
“What we felt was injustice,” Senegal’s match winner, Pape Gueye, said about the decision to walk off. However, after being implored to return by star player Mane, after a long delay Senegal returned and the referee resumed the match. Which Morocco accepted as they continued playing.
Díaz dusted himself off and stepped up to take the spot-kick. He missed, forcing the match into extra time. This is where Gueye netted the winner to make Senegal two-time African champions. Or so he thought.
/file/attachments/orphans/13657185_140450.jpg "Morocco coach Walid Regragui (left), who has since left his role, and captain Achraf Hakimi (right) talk to referee Jean-Jacques Ndala at the end of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final. (Photo: EPA / Jalal Morchidi)")
Where to from here?
With the Senegalese signalling their intention to challenge their stripping legally, the two possible outcomes will have far-reaching consequences.
If Senegal win their Cas appeal, then the authority of the referee is supreme and his final decisions on the pitch are binding.
However, if Cas upholds Caf’s decision to strip Senegal, a slippery slope of refereeing decisions being challenged in retrospect will be triggered. Especially because Morocco did not inform the referee that they were playing the remainder of the match under protest. Instead, they waited for the final outcome to lodge an appeal with Caf, on the grounds that Ndala should have blown his whistle to end the match as soon as Senegal walked off.
While this appeal was ongoing, Morocco also threatened to not host the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, according to Daily Maverick sources, with Caf reaching out to South Africa as a potential substitute.
After weeks of uncertainty, Caf finally confirmed that the tournament had been postponed to July 2026, when it was initially set to begin on 17 March. The announcement of the postponement came just two weeks before Wafcon’s scheduled start, with Morocco retaining hosting rights. DM