Was 2025 AFCON the most controversial yet?
As debate swirls around the fallout from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, questions are mounting over whether the tournament has eclipsed decades of past controversies to become the competition’s most contentious edition.
To be clear, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has weathered disputes before. In 1976, there was no traditional final, with Morocco crowned champions through a round-robin format. In 1982, Ghana were forced to celebrate their triumph in private amid tensions with hosts Libya. Other flashpoints include Tunisia’s walk-off in 1978 and Nigeria’s withdrawal in 1996, both of which led to sanctions, as well as refereeing confusion in 2021 when a match was prematurely ended twice.
Yet CAF has historically maintained one consistent principle: results on the pitch are rarely overturned after the fact. Even in cases of officiating errors or disputes, governing bodies have avoided stripping titles or reassigning trophies once awarded.
That precedent is now under scrutiny following the 2025 tournament, where Senegal were initially crowned champions, awarded medals and celebrated victory — only for the decision to be reversed. The move has raised fresh concerns over the application of CAF regulations, particularly rules governing walk-offs and forfeits, and has left observers asking whether this marks an unprecedented break from tradition in African football.
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