Rabat: The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has declared the Moroccan men's national team the winner of the 2025 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). This decision comes after the CAF Appeal Board ruled that Senegal forfeited the final match when its players walked off for several minutes.
According to Ghana Web, the ruling was made in response to an appeal by the Moroccan Football Federation, the F©d©ration Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF). The appeal sought to nullify Senegal's victory due to their walk-off during the final match. As a result, the CAF Appeal Board ruled in favor of the FRMF, recording the match as a 3-0 win against Senegal.
The statement issued by CAF on March 17, 2026, detailed the decision of the Appeal Board. It cited Article 84 of the Regulations of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations, which led to the forfeiture ruling against Senegal's national team. The decision further upholds Morocco's complaints, while some punishments initially levied against them were reduced.
The CAF Appeal Board's findings supported the FRMF's protest, declaring that Senegal's conduct violated Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON regulations. Consequently, the Senegal team was declared to have forfeited the match, officially awarding the title to Morocco.