Senegal have been stripped of their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) ruled the team forfeited the January 18 final, awarding hosts Morocco a 3-0 default win and the championship. The decision comes two months after a chaotic finale in Rabat that ended with Senegal briefly leaving the pitch in protest at a late penalty awarded to Morocco.
During the original match Senegal’s players left the field following the penalty call, triggering tensions and an attempted pitch invasion by some fans. After roughly 15 minutes the Senegal team returned to face the spot kick, which Moroccan player Brahim Diaz chipped weakly into the goalkeeper’s hands. The game went to extra time and Senegal scored what had appeared to be the decisive goal.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino condemned the scenes at the time, calling it unacceptable to abandon the field and singling out some Senegal players for criticism, while stressing that violence has no place in football.
At an initial disciplinary hearing CAF handed bans and fines totaling in excess of $1 million to players from both sides for their roles in the post-penalty disorder — which included on-field scuffles and disputes involving ball boys — but allowed the sporting result to stand. That position has now been overturned by CAF’s appeals board.
The appeals panel found Senegal’s conduct fell “within the scope of Articles 82 and 84” of the AFCON regulations, which state that a team that refuses to play or leaves the field before the match ends without the referee’s authorization will be considered the loser and eliminated. With that finding, Senegal’s 1-0 win was annulled and Morocco were declared champions for the first time in 50 years via a 3-0 default scoreline.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation said it “acknowledges the decision,” adding that its appeal aimed not to dispute on-field performances but to ensure regulations were properly applied for clarity and stability in African competitions.
Senegal have said they will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland. Defender Moussa Niakhaté posted a photo on Instagram of himself holding the trophy with the caption “Pour l’éternité” and the remark “Ils sont fous” in apparent reaction to CAF’s ruling.
The controversy has cast a shadow over a tournament that had otherwise been seen as well organized. Morocco, which will co-host the 2030 World Cup, has faced domestic protests over World Cup preparations and public spending. Separately, CAF last week postponed the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, originally due to start in Morocco on March 17, to July, citing “unforeseen circumstances” and a combination of factors in its decision-making.