Sénégal denied can victory after controversial final withdrawal

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has been awarded a 3-0 forfeit victory by the CAF Appeals Committee following Senegal’s abrupt departure from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat. The decision reverses the initial ruling and marks a historic moment in African football.

CAF confirms forfeit after Senegal’s protest exit

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially validated the Moroccan claim, citing Senegal’s violation of Articles 82 and 84 of the Africa Cup of Nations Regulations. The decision follows an unprecedented protest by the Senegalese team, which walked off the pitch during extra time after a controversial VAR decision.

The Appeals Committee determined that Senegal’s actions constituted a breach of conduct, leading to the administrative awarding of the title to Morocco. The decision nullifies the previous ruling by CAF’s disciplinary body and sets a new precedent in continental football governance.

What triggered the final chaos

The incident unfolded when Moroccan forward Brahim Diaz collapsed in the penalty area during added time. After VAR review, a penalty was awarded to Morocco, sparking furious reactions from the Senegalese bench. Coach Pape Thiaw ordered his players to leave the field in protest, creating a scene that lasted several minutes before Sadio Mané convinced them to return.

Mané later stated: “When they decided to leave the pitch, I stayed and asked others what they thought. I decided to bring everyone back because football is bigger than any single decision. The referee can make mistakes, but abandoning a match isn’t the solution.” The players returned, Diaz missed the penalty, and Senegal went on to win in extra time.

Full CAF ruling details

The Appeals Committee’s official statement read: “The CAF Appeals Committee today ruled that under Article 84 of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Regulations, the Senegal national team is declared forfeit in the final match, with the result recorded as a 3-0 victory for the FRMF.”

The committee also:

• Upheld Morocco’s appeal as admissible and valid
• Canceled the previous disciplinary commission decision
• Confirmed Senegal’s breach of regulations
• Rejected all other claims and requests for reparations

Financial penalties still apply

Despite securing the title, Morocco’s football federation received financial sanctions. The CAF Appeals Committee:

• Reduced the laser pointer fine from 50,000 to 10,000 dollars
• Cut the ball boy incident penalty in half to 50,000 dollars
• Maintained a 100,000 dollar fine for VAR interference

These sanctions stem from incidents during the tense final, though the main consequence remains the historic title reversal that punishes Senegal’s walkout rather than the field events.