CAF revises archives of AFCON 2025, crowning Morocco as titleholders

Morocco has been formally recognized as the champion of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations by the Confederation of African Football, which has updated its records to reflect this change.

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A review of the CAF website on Monday confirmed that Morocco is now listed as the winner of the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Morocco 2025, while Senegal is recorded as the runner-up and Nigeria has taken third place.

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The update was made in response to a ruling issued by CAF's Appeals Board on March 18, which overturned the outcome of the January 18 final in Rabat, where Senegal initially defeated Morocco 1-0 in extra time with Pape Gueye scoring the winning goal.

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The Senegalese team's victory came after a tumultuous sequence of events, including a brief walk-off by the players in protest over a disputed stoppage-time penalty awarded to Morocco.

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CAF's Appeals Board ultimately determined that Senegal's actions constituted a forfeit under Article 84 of the AFCON Regulations, resulting in the final being officially recorded as a 3-0 victory for Morocco, securing their second continental title.

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In a media statement, CAF declared, "The Senegal National Team is declared to have forfeited the Final Match… with the result of the Match being recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football."

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The decision has sparked widespread debate, with critics arguing that it undermines the spirit of the game played on the pitch, and has been condemned by Senegal's football federation, which has confirmed it will appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

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A verdict from the Court of Arbitration for Sport could take up to a year to be delivered, highlighting the potential for a prolonged dispute over the outcome of the tournament.

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CAF President Patrice Motsepe has defended the process, emphasizing that no nation will receive favourable treatment and stressing the importance of upholding the integrity of the competition's regulations.