Senegal Stripped of AFCON Title After Final Walkout Protest

Senegal have been stripped of their Africa Cup of Nations title following a dramatic disciplinary decision, with Morocco officially awarded a 3–0 win after the final was ruled forfeited.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced that its appeal board found Senegal guilty of breaching tournament regulations during the final held in Rabat in January. The ruling stems from a protest incident in which head coach Pape Thiaw and several players walked off the pitch for 15 minutes after Morocco were awarded a penalty.

Although the players eventually returned—reportedly persuaded by captain Sadio Mané—the disruption proved decisive in CAF’s final judgment. The match had continued, with Brahim Díaz missing the penalty and Pape Gueye later scoring what was initially the winning goal in extra time.

However, CAF’s appeal board invoked tournament regulations to overturn the result, declaring the match forfeited and awarding Morocco a 3–0 victory.

In its statement, CAF confirmed that Senegal had violated competition rules through the conduct of their team, leading to the unprecedented decision to strip them of the title.

Senegal are expected to challenge the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, as backlash continues to grow. Defender Moussa Niakhaté reacted angrily on social media, posting a photo with the trophy and writing: “Come and get them. They are crazy.”

The decision has sparked widespread controversy, particularly after nearly a million fans flooded the streets of Dakar to celebrate what was believed to be Senegal’s second AFCON triumph.

Morocco, who had not lifted the trophy since 1976 and entered the tournament as hosts and favourites, welcomed the ruling. Their football federation stated that their actions were aimed solely at ensuring adherence to competition regulations, not undermining sporting performance.