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Senegal Stripped of AFCON Title, Morocco Awarded 2026 Crown After Protest

The Confederation of African Football has overturned Senegal's Africa Cup of Nations victory and awarded the 2026 title to runners-up Morocco. The decision follows a chaotic final where Senegal players walked off the pitch for 20 minutes to protest a VAR decision. CAF's Appeals Committee ruled Senegal forfeited the match by violating regulations regarding refusing to play. The official result has been changed to a 3-0 default victory for Morocco.

Key Points: Senegal Loses AFCON Title, Morocco Wins After CAF Overturn

  • Senegal stripped of AFCON title
  • Morocco awarded 2026 crown
  • Decision follows player walk-off protest
  • CAF cites violations of tournament regulations
  • Match result changed to 3-0 default
3 min read

Senegal's AFCON title win overturned, CAF gives 2026 crown to Morocco two months after chaotic final

CAF strips Senegal of its Africa Cup of Nations win and awards the 2026 title to Morocco following a chaotic final and player walk-off protest.

"The ugly scenes witnessed today must be condemned and never repeated. - Gianni Infantino"

Rabat, March 18

Senegal were stripped of their Africa Cup of Nations title win back in January, and it was awarded to Morocco, the runners-up of a chaotic final at Rabat.

A landmark decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) stripped off the Sadio Mane led side of their title win. They lifted the trophy in a controversial match which saw them secure a victory by 1-0 in the extra time.

As per Goal.com, during the final few moments of the match, there was a massive outcry from Senegal players, who were not happy with being denied a penalty. A VAR decision to give Morocco a penalty for a very similar challenge further enraged the visitors.

Senegal players, except for their skipper, walked off the pitch for 20 minutes out of protest and took to the field only after being persuaded by Mane. Brahim Diaz took the penalty kick for Morocco, but the goalie saved it, sending the match into extra time. During the extra time, it was Pape Gueye who came in clutch with a match-winning strike.

Following Senegal's win, the Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF) issued a statement condemning the "unacceptable behaviour of some players and officials" during the title clash.

The conduct of the Senegal team also got condemnation from FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who said on Instagram, "It is also the responsibility of teams and players to act responsibly and set the right example for fans in the stadiums and millions watching around the world. The ugly scenes witnessed today must be condemned and never repeated. I reiterated that they have no place in football and I expect that the relevant disciplinary bodies at CAF will take the appropriate measures."

Now, the CAF Appeals Committee took a review of the match on Tuesday, ruling on the appeal lodged by the Moroccan Football Federation immediately after the final whistle. The committee confirmed that the match did not end with a 1-0 win for Senegal at the end of extra time, but rather a default 3-0 win for Morocco.

A statement from the CAF Appeals Committee, as quoted by Goal.com, said, "The Senegalese national team has lost the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (CAF) in Morocco by default, with the result recorded as 3-0 in favour of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation."

As per CAF, the Senegal team lost the title due to their violations of Articles 82 and 84 of AFCON regulations, especially the 82nd article stating, "If a team refuses to play or leaves the pitch before the end of the match without the referee's permission, it shall be deemed to have forfeited the match."

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Rules are rules. Article 82 is clear - if you leave the pitch without permission, you forfeit. Senegal's protest, however emotional, was against the rules. CAF had to uphold the regulations, even if it feels harsh. Morocco are the rightful champions by the book.
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Ananya R
As an Indian football fan, this is heartbreaking for Senegal. They played their hearts out and won in extra time. The VAR controversy sounds messy, but awarding the title via committee months later feels like a hollow victory for Morocco. The beautiful game is losing its charm.
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Vikram M
Respectfully, I think CAF got this wrong. The punishment doesn't fit the crime. A fine, a suspension for the next tournament, even docking points in qualifiers—all would be better than taking away a hard-earned continental title. This decision helps no one and hurts the sport's credibility.
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Karthik V
Imagine if this happened in cricket! The outrage would be massive. Football administration needs to be more transparent. Why did it take two months? This delay itself is unfair to both teams and their fans. The whole process seems very poorly managed.
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Michael C
Poor Sadio Mane. He tried to get his team back on the pitch and lead them to victory, only for the title to be taken away in a boardroom. A legendary player's moment has been completely tarnished. Feel for the Senegalese players and supporters.

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