The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeal Board has upheld Morocco’s protest and officially awarded the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final to Morocco, ruling that Senegal forfeited the match with a 3-0 scoreline.
The decision overturns an earlier ruling by the CAF Disciplinary Board and follows an appeal filed by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) over incidents that occurred during the final.
CAF confirmed that Senegal’s actions during the match violated Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON regulations, leading to the forfeiture. The Appeal Board concluded that the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF) breached Article 82 through its team’s conduct, validating Morocco’s protest and officially declaring them champions.
In a separate decision, Moroccan player Ismaël Saibari was found guilty of misconduct. His suspension was reduced to a two-match ban (one suspended), and a previously imposed $100,000 fine was cancelled.
CAF also ruled on off-field matters involving Morocco. The federation was held responsible for the actions of ball boys, with the related fine reduced to $50,000. A $100,000 fine for interference around the VAR review area was maintained, while a sanction linked to a laser incident was reduced to $10,000.
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All other motions in the case were dismissed, bringing a definitive end to one of the most controversial finals in AFCON history.
The ruling settles a prolonged dispute that had cast doubt over the tournament’s outcome and reinforces CAF’s commitment to enforcing competition regulations in high-profile matches.