Morocco Declared AFCON 2025 Champions After Senegal Forfeit

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has updated its records to reflect Morocco as the champion of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). This decision follows a ruling by CAF's appeal board, which determined that Senegal forfeited the final match held on January 18, 2025, in Rabat, where Senegal initially lost to Morocco 1-0 after extra time, with Pape Guey scoring the winning goal.

The controversy arose from a penalty awarded to Morocco during stoppage time, leading to protests from Senegalese players. The appeal board ruled that Senegal's actions constituted a forfeit under Article 84 of AFCON regulations, resulting in a final record of 3-0 in favor of Morocco.

This decision has sparked widespread debate and criticism, with Senegal's football federation condemning the ruling and confirming plans to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. CAF President Patric Motsep defended the process, emphasizing the need to uphold the integrity of the competition's regulations.