CAF updates records to crown Morocco AFCON 2025 champions after appeal ruling
CAF has formally revised the outcome of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, listing Morocco as champions after an appeal ruling that reclassified the final against Senegal as a forfeit.
On Monday, CAF’s official competition page showed Morocco at the top of the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Morocco 2025 standings, with Senegal moved to second place and Nigeria ranked third.
The change follows a decision by CAF’s Appeals Board dated March 18, which overturned the match result from the final played in Rabat on January 18. Senegal had initially been declared winners after a 1-0 extra-time victory, sealed by a goal from Pape Gueye.
CAF’s appeal body, however, found that Senegal’s temporary walk-off during a tense late-game episode amounted to conduct covered by the tournament’s forfeiture provisions. The incident occurred after a controversial stoppage-time penalty was awarded to Morocco, causing protests and a brief disruption.
In its ruling, CAF said Senegal had forfeited the match under Article 84 of AFCON regulations and recorded the final as a 3-0 win for Morocco, handing the hosts what CAF now recognises as their second AFCON title.
Meanwhile, Senegal’s football federation has rejected the decision and said it will take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), where a ruling could take months. CAF President Patrice Motsepe has defended the process, saying the confederation must enforce its regulations consistently and without favour.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
