Senegal to Appeal Decision on AFCON Title Award

CAF Awards Morocco AFCON Title Following Senegal’s Walk-Off Protest

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has awarded the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title to Morocco after an appeal was filed regarding Senegal’s walk-off protest during the final. The Senegalese Football Federation has condemned the decision, labeling it “unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable” and stating that it casts a shadow over African football.

According to CAF’s Appeals Board, Senegal’s walk-off protest in stoppage time of the regulation 90 minutes was grounds for Morocco to be declared the winner. The board found that Senegal contravened tournament regulations by walking off, which resulted in the match being forfeited and declared 3-0 in favor of Morocco.

The Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will review the decision. In a statement, the Senegalese Football Federation announced its intention to initiate an appeal before CAS as soon as possible. The federation’s president did not provide further details on the appeal.

Morocco was declared African champions after the walk-off protest during the final on January 18. The match had ended 1-0 in favor of Senegal, but Morocco won the game 3-0 due to the forfeit. The incident has sparked controversy, with some questioning the referee’s decision to continue with the match.

The Laws of the Game state that the referee’s decision is final. However, the CAS may review the decision and potentially reinstate Senegal as champions if they can demonstrate that the referee made an error.

Source: Al Jazeera