Morocco has been declared the 3-0 winners of this year’s Africa Cup of Nations final after Senegal was sensationally stripped of the title, an unprecedented ruling by the Confederation of African Football (Caf).
The decision, announced on Tuesday evening, followed an appeal board ruling that Senegal “forfeited the final” held in Rabat in January. The forfeiture stems from a 15-minute walkout staged by head coach Pape Thiaw and several players in protest of a penalty awarded to Morocco. The Senegal squad only returned to the pitch after being convinced by captain Sadio Mané. While Brahim Díaz’s subsequent spot-kick was saved, sending the game into extra time where Pape Gueye scored the winning goal for Senegal, the protest was deemed a breach of regulations.
CAF’s appeal board confirmed the decision, citing Article 84 of the Afcon regulations: “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.”
This ruling reverses an initial disciplinary hearing outcome that had imposed heavy fines (more than $1m) and bans on players and officials from both Senegal and Morocco, but had left the final’s result untouched. CAF stated that Senegal, through their team’s conduct, “infringed article 82 of the regulations.”
Senegal’s captain, Sadio Mané, was pictured lifting the Afcon trophy on the night of the final. The country is expected to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Lyon defender Moussa Niakhaté, who played in the final, reacted strongly to the news, writing “Come and get them… They are crazy,” on his Instagram account alongside a photo of him holding the trophy.
The Senegal captain, Sadio Mané, lifted the Africa Cup of Nations trophy on the night of the final. Photograph: Jalal Morchidi/EPA
The decision comes months after almost a million supporters had lined the streets of Dakar to celebrate what was initially Senegal’s second Afcon title. As hosts, Morocco had been the heavy favourites, aiming for their first title since 1976.
The Moroccan football federation released a statement asserting that their appeal was “solely to request the application of the competition’s regulations,” and was not intended “to challenge the sporting performance of the teams.” They reaffirmed their commitment to respecting the rules and maintaining stability within African competitions.
