According to the official ruling, the Senegal team was defeated 0-3 for leaving the field to protest in the final match against Morocco. The result was adjusted to Morocco winning 3-0, thereby winning the African Championship (AFCON) 2025.
A statement from the African Football Confederation stated: "The CAF Disciplinary Committee decided that the Senegalese team was considered to have withdrawn from the 2025 Africa Cup final, and the result of the match was recorded as Morocco winning 3-0".
This decision caused Senegal to lose the 2025 African title, the championship they celebrated after a 1-0 victory on the opponent's field. This is an unprecedented situation in modern football history if considered in major tournaments.
The AFCON 2025 final held on January 18 in Rabat (Maroc) ended with a 1-0 victory for Senegal after extra time, thanks to a goal by Pape Gueye.
Controversy broke out at the end of official time when the referee awarded Morocco a penalty in injury time. Senegalese players reacted fiercely and left the field to protest, causing the match to be interrupted for a long time.
After receiving the appeal from the Moroccan Football Federation, the CAF reviewed the case and issued a final ruling, determining that Senegal violated regulations by not complying with the management of the organizers.
This decision immediately caused a large wave of controversy in the African and international football community, when many opinions suggested that CAF had created an unprecedented precedent.
