The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeal Board has officially declared Morocco the winners of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 after overturning the original final result. In a landmark ruling, Senegal were deemed to have forfeited the match, with the result recorded as a 3–0 victory in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF).
According to CAF, the decision was made under Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON regulations, following an appeal lodged by Morocco’s football federation. The Appeal Board set aside an earlier decision by the CAF Disciplinary Board, finding that the conduct of the Senegal national team constituted an infringement warranting forfeiture. As a result, Morocco are now officially recognized as AFCON 2025 champions.
Disciplinary Rulings and Sanctions
The Appeal Board also issued several additional decisions relating to misconduct during the final:
Moroccan player Ismaël Saibari was found guilty of misconduct but had his punishment reduced to a two-match CAF suspension, with one match suspended. A previously imposed USD 100,000 fine was cancelled.
Morocco’s federation was held responsible for the conduct of ball boys during the match, though the related fine was reduced to USD 50,000.
A USD 100,000 fine for interference around the VAR review area was upheld.
A laser-related incident fine was reduced to USD 10,000.
All other appeals and requests for relief were dismissed.
A Controversial End to AFCON 2025
The ruling brings a dramatic and controversial conclusion to one of the most disputed finals in AFCON history. Such post-match forfeitures in a tournament final are extremely rare and are likely to trigger strong reactions across African football, particularly in Senegal.
CAF has not indicated whether further appeals are possible, but the decision stands as the official result, confirming Morocco as continental champions.
